Drying apparatus and method of controlling same

ABSTRACT

A shoe care device includes an inner cabinet, an air supply device that is configured to blow air to an accommodated space of the inner cabinet and includes a plurality of dehumidifying materials separate from one another, and a controller configured to control the air supply device. The air supply device includes a connection path configured to circulate air between an inlet and an outlet of the inner cabinet, and a regeneration path branched from the connection path and configured to guide air having passed through at least one of the dehumidifying materials to a portion of the air supply device other than the inlet. The controller is configured to control the air supply device to selectively open and close at least one of the connection path or the regeneration path based on whether or not at least one of the dehumidifying materials is heated.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This present application claims the benefit of priority to Korean PatentApplication No. 10-2020-0181803, entitled “Drying Apparatus and ControlMethod for the same,” filed on Dec. 23, 2020, Korean Patent ApplicationNo. 10-2020-0181804, entitled “Drying Apparatus and Control Method forthe same,” filed on December 23, 2020, Korean Patent Application No.10-2021-0042900, filed on Apr. 1, 2021, and Korean Patent ApplicationNo. 10-2021-0083341, entitled “Shoes Care Device,” filed on Jun. 25,2021, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein byreference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a drying apparatus and a method ofcontrolling the drying apparatus.

BACKGROUND

Drying apparatuses may remove moisture or odor from drying objects suchas clothes, shoes, etc. The drying apparatuses can be divided into acondensing type drying apparatus and an exhaust type drying apparatus.For example, the condensing type drying apparatus may dry the clothes bycondensing the air that has undergone heat exchange with the clothes(air that has absorbed moisture from the clothes) and then resupplyingthe same to the clothes. The exhaust type drying apparatus may dry theclothes by exhausting the air that has undergone heat exchange with theclothes to the outside of the drying apparatus.

In some cases, the condensing type drying apparatus may be divided intoan air-cooled drying apparatus and a water-cooled drying apparatusaccording to the cooling fluid. The water-cooled drying apparatus mayremove moisture from the air by supplying low-temperature cooling waterto an air circulation path, and the water-cooled drying apparatus mayremove moisture from the air by heat exchange between the air movingalong the circulation path and low-temperature external air.

In some cases, in order to increase the condensing efficiency ofremoving moisture from the air after heat exchange, a drying apparatusmay use a dehumidifying material (e.g., zeolite, desiccant, etc.).However, in some cases, humid air generated when the dehumidifyingmaterial is regenerated may be exhausted into the room or resupplied tothe space in which the drying object is accommodated.

The method of exhausting the humid air generated during the regenerationof the dehumidifying material into the room may have a disadvantage ofincreasing the indoor humidity, and the method of resupplying the humidair generated during the regeneration of the dehumidifying material intothe space for accommodating the drying object may have a disadvantage ofsupplying even odor particles contained in the moisture to the dryingobject.

In some cases, shoes may be wet with a wearer's sweat, stained withexternal contaminants, or wet with rain or snow. Wearing contaminatedshoes may make the wearer uncomfortable, and in such a state, bacteriamay grow on the shoes, or the shoes may give off odors.

In some cases, a shoe care device may perform a predetermined process onthe shoes to eliminate bacteria or odors so that users can wear theshoes in a comfortable state.

For example, the shoe care device may include a main body, anultraviolet ray-emitting module, a deodorization module, and the like.

In some cases, the shoes may be placed inside a sterilization chamber ofthe main body, and the ultraviolet ray-emitting module may be operatedto remove bacteria and odors from the shoes. Then, the air in thesterilization chamber may be suctioned into a blower pipe, pass throughthe deodorization module, and then discharge to the outside of the mainbody through a discharge hole.

In some cases, the deodorization module may include a deodorizationcolumn made of materials such as zeolite, activated carbon, charcoal,and the like, where contaminants may be removed from the air dischargedfrom the inside of the main body to the outside thereof by thedeodorization column.

For instance, the air, from which moisture has been removed by thedeodorization module, may be discharged to the outside of the apparatusfor sterilization disposal of shoes.

In some cases, since the air is discharged to the outside of theapparatus for sterilization of shoes, the discharged air may includemoisture or odor that is not sufficiently removed before beingdischarged to the outside of the apparatus, and such air may bedischarged to the room in which the user resides.

In some cases, a shoes cabinet may include a main body, a far-infraredray-emitting unit, a circulation fan, an air circulation passage, asanitary filter, and the like.

For example, the shoe cabinet may store the shoes and perform sanitarytreatment such as dehumidification, sterilization, and deodorization ofthe shoes by far-infrared rays and a filter while storing the shoes inthe shoe cabinet.

In some cases, the sanitary filter may be filled with a material withadsorption properties, such as charcoal and the like, to absorb moistureand filter bacteria while the air passes therethrough, and to serve tocapture odor-generating substances.

In some cases, the shoe cabinet may not prevent deterioration of theperformance of the sanitary filter to remove moisture or odors, so theshoes may not be effectively processed in the process of using the shoecare device by the user, thereby resulting in unsatisfactory situations.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure describes a shoe care device configured to treatshoes by circulating air.

For example, the present disclosure describes a shoe care device thatdehumidifies and deodorizes shoes using a dehumidifying material torefresh the shoes, and regenerates the used dehumidifying material,thereby maintaining appropriate performance of processing shoes.

The present disclosure also describes a shoe care device that has an aircirculation structure in which the air inside the inner cabinet wherethe shoes are placed is dehumidified using a dehumidifying material andin which the dehumidified air is supplied back into the inner cabinet,thereby preventing the user from being exposed to the air used indehumidification and deodorization of shoes.

The present disclosure further describes a shoe care device that is inthe most appropriate mode by reflecting the state of the shoes, which isan object to be processed, or the state of a dehumidifying material,thereby further improving the efficiency of processing shoes.

According to one aspect of the subject matter described in thisapplication, a shoe care device includes an inner cabinet that has anaccommodation space configured to accommodate shoes therein, an inletdefined at a first portion of the accommodation space and configured tosupply air to the accommodation space, and an outlet defined at a secondportion of the accommodation space and configured to suction air fromthe accommodation space. The shoe care device further includes an airsupply device that is configured to blow air to the accommodated spacealong a plurality of paths, that includes a plurality of dehumidifyingmaterials that are separate from one another and disposed in theplurality of paths, and that is configured to heat the plurality ofdehumidifying materials. The shoe care device further includes acontroller configured to control the air supply device. The plurality ofpaths of the air supply device include a connection path configured tocirculate air between the inlet and the outlet, and a regeneration pathbranched from the connection path and configured to guide air havingpassed through at least one of the plurality of dehumidifying materialsto a portion of the air supply device other than the inlet. Thecontroller is configured to control the air supply device to selectivelyopen and close at least one of the connection path or the regenerationpath based on whether or not at least one of the plurality ofdehumidifying materials is heated.

Implementations according to this aspect can include one or more of thefollowing features. For example, the shoe care device can further asteam generator configured to supply steam to the accommodation space.In some implementations, the controller can be configured to, based onany one of the plurality of dehumidifying materials being heated,control the air supply device in a first operation mode by (i) closing afirst portion of the connection path corresponding to a heateddehumidifying material among the plurality of dehumidifying materials tothereby open a first portion of the regeneration path corresponding tothe heated dehumidifying material, and (ii) opening a second portion ofthe connection path corresponding to an unheated dehumidifying materialamong the plurality of dehumidifying materials to thereby close a secondportion of the regeneration path corresponding to the unheateddehumidifying material.

In some examples, the controller can be configured to, in the firstoperation mode, control the air supply device to alternately heat theplurality of dehumidifying materials one after another. In someexamples, the controller can be configured to, in the first operationmode, control the air supply device to supply a first amount of air tothe heated dehumidifying material and a second amount of air to theunheated dehumidifying material, where the first amount of air is lessthan the second amount of air. In some examples, the controller can beconfigured to, based on none of the plurality of dehumidifying materialsbeing heated, control the air supply device in a second operation modeby opening the connection path to thereby close the regeneration path.In some implementations, the controller can be configured to, based onall of the plurality of dehumidifying materials being heated, controlthe air supply device in a third operation mode by closing theconnection path to thereby open the regeneration path.

In some implementations, the shoe care device can further include acontrol panel configured to receive an operation signal from a user, andthe controller can be configured to, based on the operation signal beingreceived through the control panel, control the air supply device toperform the third operation mode for a predetermined time. In someimplementations, the shoe care device can further include a sensorconfigured to measure an amount of moisture adsorbed in the plurality ofdehumidifying materials, and the controller can be configured to controlthe air supply device to perform the third operation mode until theamount of moisture measured by the sensor becomes less than or equal toa predetermined value.

In some implementations, the air supply device can include a pluralityof chambers that are spaced apart from one another and connected tobranches of the connection path, respectively, where each of theplurality of chambers accommodates one of the plurality of dehumidifyingmaterials, and a plurality of heaters, where each of the plurality ofheaters is disposed at one of the plurality of chambers and configuredto heat one of the plurality of dehumidifying materials in the one ofthe plurality of chambers. Each chamber of the plurality of chambers candefine a drying path hole configured to discharge air having passedthrough the dehumidifying material in the chamber toward the inlet, anda regeneration path hole that is separate from the drying path hole andconfigured to discharge air having passed through the dehumidifyingmaterial in the chamber in a direction other than toward the inlet.

The air supply device can further include a plurality of dampers thatare disposed in the plurality of chambers, respectively, and configuredto selectively open and close the drying path hole and the regenerationpath hole of each the plurality of chambers, where the controller isconfigured to control the plurality of dampers to selectively open andclose the drying path hole and the regeneration path hole of each theplurality of chambers based on operation of at least one of theplurality of heaters. In some examples, the air supply device canfurther include a condenser connected to the regeneration path holes andconfigured to condense moisture from air discharged through theregeneration path holes.

In some implementations, the controller can be configured to, based onone of the plurality of heaters operating, (i) control one of theplurality of dampers to close the drying path hole corresponding to anoperating heater among the plurality of heaters to thereby open theregeneration path hole corresponding to the operating heater, and (ii)control another of the plurality of dampers to open the drying path holecorresponding to a remaining heater that is not the operating heateramong the plurality of heaters to thereby close the regeneration pathhole corresponding to the remaining heater. In some examples, thecontroller can be configured to alternately operate the plurality ofheaters one after another.

In some implementations, the controller can be configured to control theplurality of dampers to supply a first amount of air to one of theplurality of chambers corresponding to the operating heater and a secondamount of air to another of the plurality of chambers corresponding tothe remaining heater, where the first amount of air is less than thesecond amount of air. In some implementations, an open area of theregeneration path hole can be less than an open area of the drying pathhole. In some implementations, the controller can be configured to,based on none of the plurality of heaters operating, control theplurality of dampers to open the drying path holes to thereby close theregeneration path through the regeneration path holes.

In some implementations, the controller can be configured to, based onall of the plurality of heaters operating, control the plurality ofdampers to close the drying path holes to thereby open the regenerationpath through the regeneration path holes. In some examples, the shoecare device can include a control panel configured to receive anoperation signal from a user, and the controller can be configured to,based on the operation signal being received through the control panel,operate all of the plurality of heaters for a predetermined time.

In some implementations, the shoe care device can include a sensorconfigured to measure an amount of moisture adsorbed in the plurality ofdehumidifying materials, and the controller can be configured to operateall of the plurality of heaters until the amount of moisture measured bythe sensor becomes less than or equal to a predetermined value.

In some implementations, the air supply device can include a blowing fanconnected to the outlet and configured to blow air toward each of theplurality of chambers, and a drain tank connected to the condenser andconfigured to receive water generated from the condenser.

In some implementations, the shoe care device can be configured todehumidify and deodorize shoes using a dehumidifying material andregenerate the used dehumidifying material. Specifically, thedehumidifying material can be disposed in an air supplier to capturemoisture and bacteria in the blown air, and the dehumidifying materialcan be regenerated by being heated by the air supplier.

In some implementations, the shoe care device can be configured to havean air circulation structure in which the air used in dehumidificationand deodorization of shoes circulates inside the shoe care device.Specifically, the shoe care device can be configured such that aconnection path through which air circulates is formed between an inletand an outlet formed inside an inner cabinet.

In some implementations, the shoe care device can be configured toselectively perform a dehumidification mode using a dehumidifyingmaterial or a regeneration mode for the dehumidifying material inconsideration of the state of shoes or the state of the dehumidifyingmaterial. Specifically, a pair of dehumidifying materials is disposed inan air supply device, and a connection path and a regeneration path areformed in each dehumidifying material so that each of the connectionpath and the regeneration path is configured to be selectively openedand closed depending on the need for the dehumidification mode and theregeneration mode.

In some implementations, the shoe care device can supply steam into theinner cabinet to perform steam treatment on shoes. In someimplementations, in the shoe care device, dehumidification can beperformed through any one dehumidifying material among a pair ofdehumidifying materials, and regeneration can be performed for the oneremaining dehumidifying material. In some implementations, any one of apair of dehumidifying materials and the remaining one thereof can bealternately dehumidified and regenerated.

In some implementations, the amount of air blown to any onedehumidifying material performing dehumidification can be larger thanthe amount of air blown to the one remaining dehumidifying materialperforming regeneration. In some implementations, dehumidification canbe simultaneously performed using all of a pair of dehumidifyingmaterials. In some examples, regeneration can be simultaneouslyperformed for all of a pair of dehumidifying materials.

In some implementations, the shoe care device can regenerate alldehumidifying materials for a configured time during the initialoperation after an idle period of time. In some examples, when it isdetected that the amount of moisture adsorbed into the dehumidifyingmaterial exceeds a reference value, the shoe care device can regenerateall dehumidifying materials until the amount of moisture becomes lessthan or equal to the reference value.

In some implementations, the air supply device can be configured toinclude a chamber, a heater, a drying path hole, a regeneration pathhole, and a damper. In some examples, the air supply device can beconfigured to further include a condenser.

In some implementations, the open area of the regeneration path hole canbe configured to be smaller than the open area of the drying path hole.

In some implementations, since the dehumidifying material is disposed inthe air supplier to capture moisture and bacteria in the blown air andsince the air supplier heats the dehumidifying material to beregenerated, it can be possible to maintain appropriate performance ofprocessing shoes.

In some implementations, since the connection path through which aircirculates is formed between the inlet and the outlet formed inside theinner cabinet, it can be possible to help to prevent the user from beingexposed to the air used in dehumidification and deodorization of shoes.

In some implementations, since a pair of dehumidifying materials isdisposed in an air supply device and since a connection path and aregeneration path are formed in each dehumidifying material so that eachof the connection path and the regeneration path can be selectivelyopened and closed depending on the need for a dehumidification mode anda regeneration mode, the shoe care device can be operated in an optimalstate depending on the situation to further improve the efficiency ofprocessing shoes.

In some implementations, since steam is supplied into the inner cabinetto perform steam treatment on shoes, it can be possible to exert aneffect of sterilization by the high temperature steam and a refreshingeffect by inflating the material of the shoes or the like.

In some implementations, since dehumidification is performed through anyone dehumidifying material among a pair of dehumidifying materials andsince regeneration is performed for the one remaining dehumidifyingmaterial, it can be possible to simultaneously perform thedehumidification mode and the regeneration mode in the shoe care device.

In some implementations, since any one of a pair of dehumidifyingmaterials and the remaining one thereof are alternately dehumidified andregenerated, the shoe care device can continuously refresh the shoeswithout interruption.

In some implementations, since the amount of air blown to any onedehumidifying material performing dehumidification is larger than theamount of air blown to the one remaining dehumidifying materialperforming regeneration, it can be possible to help to preventdehumidification efficiency from deteriorating even during regeneration.

In some implementations, since dehumidification is simultaneouslyperformed using all of a pair of dehumidifying materials, the shoe caredevice can refresh the shoes more quickly.

In some implementations, since regeneration can be simultaneouslyperformed for all of a pair of dehumidifying materials, thedehumidifying material can be maintained in a state suitable fordehumidification in the shoe care device.

In some implementations, since all dehumidifying materials areregenerated for a configured time during the initial operation after anidle period of time, the dehumidifying material can be in theappropriate state for dehumidification prior to the operation of theshoe care device for refreshing shoes.

In some implementations, when it is detected that the amount of moistureadsorbed into the dehumidifying material exceeds a reference value, alldehumidifying materials can be regenerated until the amount of moisturebecomes less than or equal to the reference value, so the dehumidifyingmaterials can be in the appropriate state for dehumidification evenduring the operation of the shoe care device for refreshing shoes.

In some implementations, since the air supply device includes a chamber,a heater, a drying path hole, a regeneration path hole, and a damper,the controller can control the damper so as to selectively perform thedehumidification mode and the regeneration mode.

In some implementations, since the air supply device further includes acondenser, it can be possible to condense moisture generated in theprocess of regenerating the dehumidifying material.

In some implementations, since the open area of the regeneration pathhole is configured to be smaller than the open area of the drying pathhole, it can possible to help to prevent the dehumidification efficiencyfrom deteriorating during the regeneration even without separatelycontrolling the degree of air distribution by the controller.

Additional scope of applicability of the present disclosure will becomeapparent from the following detailed description. However, it should beunderstood that the detailed description and specific implementationssuch as implementations of the present disclosure are given by way ofexample only because various changes and modifications within the spiritand scope of the present disclosure can be clearly understood by thoseskilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of the presentdisclosure will be more apparent from the following detailed descriptiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a shoe care device.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view illustrating the shoe care device in FIG.1 without a door to show the inside of the shoe care device in FIG. 1,and FIG. 2B is a front view illustrating the shoe care device in FIG.2A.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view illustrating the shoe care device withoutan outer cabinet in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3B is a perspective view illustrating an example of a machine roomin FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view illustrating the inside of the machineroom of the shoe care device shown in FIG. 2A, and FIG. 4B is aperspective view illustrating a portion of the suction duct in FIG. 4A.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are views illustrating the inside of the machine room ofthe shoe care device shown in FIG. 2A when viewed from opposite sides.

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating an example of a movement cycle of air inthe shoe care device.

FIG. 7A is a view illustrating an example of a bottom of an innercabinet of the shoe care device shown in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 7B is a view illustrating an example state in which a dehumidifyingmaterial cover is removed from the cabinet bottom plate in FIG. 7A, inwhich the dehumidifying block is shown in a cross-sectional view fromwhich a ceiling part is deleted.

FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a portion of the shoecare device taken along line A-A′ in FIG. 7A, in which an example of ablowing duct is shown as a separate cross-sectional view, FIG. 8B is across-sectional view illustrating a portion of the shoe care devicetaken along line B-B′ in FIG. 7A, and FIG. 8C is a cross-sectional viewillustrating a portion of the shoe care device taken along line C-C′ inFIG. 7A.

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating an example of an internal path structureof the condenser shown in FIG. 4A.

FIG. 10A is a side view illustrating an example of a condenser, and FIG.10B is a plan view illustrating the condenser in FIG. 10A.

FIG. 11A is a perspective view illustrating an example state in which adehumidifying housing, a dehumidifying block, and a heater are combinedwith each other in the shoe care device shown in FIG. 3B.

FIG. 11B is a perspective view illustrating an example state in whichthe dehumidifying housing, the dehumidifying block, and the heater areseparated from each other in FIG. 11A.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating the dehumidifying housing inFIG. 11A.

FIGS. 13A and 13B are perspective views illustrating an example of adehumidifying block when viewed in different directions.

FIG. 13C is a transverse cross-sectional view illustrating thedehumidifying block in FIG. 13A.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a dehumidifyingblock.

FIGS. 15A and 15B are transverse cross-sectional views illustratingexamples of a dehumidifying block and a heater, respectively.

FIGS. 16A and 16B are transverse cross-sectional views illustratingexamples of a dehumidifying block and a heater, respectively.

FIGS. 17A and 17B are longitudinal cross-sectional views illustratingexamples of a dehumidifying blocks.

FIGS. 18 and 19A are cross-sectional views illustrating a partialconfiguration of the shoe care device shown in FIG. 3A, respectively.

FIGS. 19B and 19C are cross-sectional views illustrating a partialconfiguration of the shoe care device, respectively.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a pair ofdehumidifying blocks shown in FIG. 11B.

FIG. 21A is a perspective view illustrating an example of a first frameseparated from the dehumidifying block in FIG. 20, and FIG. 21B is afront view illustrating the first frame in FIG. 21A.

FIG. 22A is a cross-sectional view of the shoe care device andillustrates the flow of air around an example of a first frame.

FIG. 22B is a cross-sectional view illustrating a portion of an exampleof a shoe care device.

FIGS. 23, 24A, and 24B are perspective views respectively illustratingexamples of dehumidifying blocks.

FIGS. 24C and 24D are cross-sectional views schematically illustratingexamples of dehumidifying blocks accommodated in a dehumidifyinghousing.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a shoe caredevice.

FIG. 26 is a perspective view illustrating the shoe care device in FIG.25 without a door to show the inside thereof.

FIG. 27 is a perspective view illustrating an example of configurationsprovided in a machine room in FIG. 26.

FIG. 28 is a view illustrating an example of a bottom of an innercabinet of the shoe care device in FIG. 26.

FIG. 29A is a view illustrating an example of a first wall in a shoecare device viewed from the front, and FIG. 29B is a view excluding thefirst wall from FIG. 29A.

FIGS. 30A and 30B are views illustrating an example of a machine room ofthe shoe care device shown in FIG. 29B when viewed from opposite sides.

FIGS. 31A and 31B are cross-sectional views illustrating the shoe caredevice shown in FIG. 25.

FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the shoe care deviceshown in FIG. 26.

FIGS. 33A and 33B are cross-sectional views respectively illustrating anexample of a shoe care device.

FIG. 33C is a cross-sectional perspective view illustrating an exampleof a dehumidifying housing provided in the shoe care device in FIGS. 33Aand 33B.

FIG. 34 is a perspective view illustrating an air supplier of the shoecare device shown in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 35 is a perspective view illustrating the damper housing in FIG.4A.

FIG. 36 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a damperthat is disposed in the damper housing shown in FIG. 35.

FIG. 37 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the damper in FIG.35 in more detail.

FIG. 38 illustrates an example of a drying apparatus.

FIG. 39 illustrates an example of a dehumidifying unit.

FIGS. 40 and 41 illustrate examples of a first dehumidifier and a seconddehumidifier.

FIGS. 42, 43, and 44 illustrate an example of an operation process of adehumidifying unit.

FIGS. 45 to 49 illustrate examples of dehumidifying units.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, one or more implementations of the present specificationwill be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings,and the same or similar elements are given the same and similarreference numerals, so duplicate descriptions thereof will be omitted.

In the description below, a first direction X, a second direction Y, anda third direction Z described can be directions perpendicular to eachother.

The first direction X and the second direction Y can be directionsparallel to the horizontal direction, respectively, and the thirddirection Z can be a direction parallel to the vertical direction. Whenthe first direction X is parallel to the left-right direction, thesecond direction Y can be parallel to the front-back direction. When thefirst direction X is parallel to the front-back direction, the seconddirection Y can be parallel to the left-right direction.

Hereinafter, a drying apparatus will be described, and a shoe caredevice for processing shoes or a clothing care device for processingclothing will be described as an example of the drying apparatus.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a shoe care device 1.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view illustrating the shoe care device 1 inFIG. 1 from which a door 30 is removed to show the inside of the shoecare device 1 in FIG. 1. FIG. 2B is a front view illustrating the shoecare device 1 in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view illustrating the state in which an outercabinet 20 is removed from the shoe care device 1 in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3B is a perspective view illustrating the configurations providedin the machine room 50 in FIG. 3A.

In some implementations, the shoe care device 1 can be configured toinclude an outer cabinet 20, a door 30, an inner cabinet 40, a machineroom 50, and a controller 80. In some examples, the shoe care device 1can be configured to include a steam generator 600. In some examples,the shoe care device 1 can be configured to include a dehumidifyinghousing 300, a dehumidifying block 400, and a heater 710. In someexamples, the shoe care device 1 can include an outlet 42, an inlet 43and a connection path F10.

In some implementations, the shoe care device 1 can include a blower220. In some examples, the shoe care device 1 can include a damper 510,a damper housing 520, a sump 214, a regeneration path F20, and acondenser 800. In some examples, the shoe care device 1 can include awater supply tank 60 and a drain tank 70.

In some implementations, the outer cabinet 20 and the door 30 can definethe overall appearance of the shoe care device 1. For instance, the shoecare device 1 can have a hexahedral shape. That is, in the state thatthe outer cabinet 20 and the door 30 are coupled to each other and thatthe door 30 is closed, the outer shape of the shoe care device 1 can beconfigured in the form of a hexahedron.

The door 30 can be configured to open and close the inner space of theshoe care device 1. The door 30 can configure any one surface of theshoe care device 1. The door 30 can configure a left surface or rightsurface of the shoe care device 1, or can configure the front surface ofthe shoe care device 1.

Hereinafter, the surface on which the door 30 is formed in the shoe caredevice 1 will be described as the front surface of the shoe care device1, unless otherwise specifically stated.

The inner cabinet 40 and the machine room 50 can be provided inside theouter cabinet 20. The outer cabinet 20 can configure outer wall surfacesof the inner cabinet 40 and the machine room 50. In the case where aseparate cabinet for the machine room 50 is not provided in the shoecare device 1, the outer cabinet 20 can configure walls that separatethe machine room 50 from the outside thereof.

An inner space is provided inside the shoe care device 1 as anaccommodation space in which shoes are accommodated. The inner cabinet40 can be configured in the form of a box, and the accommodation space41 inside the inner cabinet 40 configures the inner space of the shoecare device 1. That is, the inner cabinet 40 can be configured toaccommodate shoes S therein.

The inner cabinet 40 can be configured in the form of a verticallylong-shaped box, and a plurality of shoes S can be arranged verticallyinside the inner cabinet 40.

The inner cabinet 40 can be in the form of a box having an opening onone side thereof. The opening of the inner cabinet 40 can be closed oropened by the door 30. The inner cabinet 40 can be configured in a formthat is open to the front of the shoe care device 1.

The inner cabinet 40 and the machine room 50 can form spaces separatedfrom each other inside the shoe care device 1. The inner cabinet 40 canform a space for accommodating an object to be processed (shoes S), andthe machine room 50 can form a space for accommodating elements foroperation of the shoe care device 1.

The machine room 50 can be configured to accommodate a connection pathF10, a blower 220, a dehumidifying housing 300, a dehumidifying block400 (and a dehumidifying material 430), a heater 710, a sump 214, aregeneration path F20, a condenser 800, and a steam generator 600. Themachine room 50 can be configured to accommodate a water supply tank 60and a drain tank 70.

Elements that are coupled to or accommodated in the machine room 50 canbe fixedly coupled to the machine room 50.

The machine room 50 can be configured to include a first wall 51.

The first wall 51 can configure any one wall surface of the machine room50. The first wall 51 can be erected in a vertical direction or erectedin a substantially vertical direction. In some implementations, thefirst wall 51 can form a wall surface perpendicular to or inclined tothe first direction X. In an example, the first wall 51 can form a wallsurface perpendicular to or inclined to the second direction Y.

The first wall 51 can form a front wall surface of the machine room 50,form a left wall of the machine room 50, or form a right wall of themachine room 50.

The water supply tank 60 and the drain tank 70 can be configured in theform of a container for accommodating water.

The water supply tank 60 can be configured to store water, supplied tothe inside of the shoe care device 1, therein. In particular, the watersupply tank 60 can be configured to store water supplied to the steamgenerator 600 therein.

In order to supply water from the water supply tank 60 into the shoecare device 1, a water pump (a first water pump 61) can be connected tothe water supply tank 60.

The drain tank 70 can be configured to store water discharged from theshoe care device 1 therein. The drain tank 70 can store the watercondensed inside the shoe care device 1. The drain tank 70 can beconfigured to store the water drained from the sump 214.

A water pump (a second water pump 71) can be connected to the drain tank70 to discharge water to the drain tank 70.

The water supply tank 60 and the drain tank 70 can be coupled to themachine room 50 so as to be exposed to the outside through any one wallsurface of the machine room 50.

The water supply tank 60 and the drain tank 70 can be located in thefront portion of the machine room 50.

The water supply tank 60 and the drain tank 70 can configure one wallsurface of the machine room 50 together with the first wall 51. In thecase where the first wall 51 configures the front surface of the machineroom 50, the water supply tank 60 and the drain tank 70 can be coupledto the machine room 50 so as to be exposed through the front side of themachine room 50 and so as to be exposed to the outside of the first wall51.

Since the water supply tank 60 and the drain tank 70 are exposed to theoutside of the first wall 51, the user can put water into the watersupply tank 60 or discharge water from the drain tank 70.

The water supply tank 60 and the drain tank 70 can be configured to bedetachable from the machine room 50. The water supply tank 60 and thedrain tank 70 can be attached to and detached from the first wall 51. Inorder to facilitate attachment and detachment of the water supply tank60 and the drain tank 70, a handle 60 a of the water supply tank can beformed on the outer surface of the water supply tank 60, and a handle 70a of the drain tank can be formed on the outer surface of the drain tank70.

The water supply tank 60 and the drain tank 70 can be configured to beseparated from the machine room 50 in the outer direction of the firstwall 51, respectively.

The controller 80 can be configured to control the operations of therespective elements in connection with respective elements constitutingthe shoe care device 1.

The door 30 can be configured to open and close both the inner cabinet40 and the machine room 50.

The door 30 can be configured to be rotatable around the rotation axis31 in the vertical direction in the shoe care device 1. The door 30 canbe coupled to the outer cabinet 20 by a hinge. The door 30 can becoupled to the inner cabinet 40 and/or the machine room 50 by a hinge.

The door 30 can be coupled to the inner cabinet 40 and the machine room50 on the same side as the first wall 51. That is, when the door 30configures the front surface of the shoe care device 1, the first wall51 can configure the front surface of the machine room 50, and the door30 can be located right outside the first wall 51.

The door 30 can be configured to expose or shield the inner cabinet 40,the water supply tank 60, and the drain tank 70. The door 30 can beconfigured to open and close the front side of the inner cabinet 40, thewater supply tank 60, and the drain tank 70.

In the shoe care device 1, the door 30, the water supply tank 60, andthe drain tank 70 can be provided on the same side, and when the door 30is opened, the water supply tank 60 and the drain tank 70 can be exposedand separated from the shoe care device 1.

With the configuration above, even if the left and right sides and theback of the shoe care device 1 are blocked by other items or structures,the door 30 can be opened from the front side of the shoe care device 1,and furthermore, the water supply tank 60 and the drain tank 70 can beseparated from or attached to the shoe care device 1.

A control panel 33 for controlling the shoe care device 1 is providedoutside the door 30. A control unit (a controller 80) for controllingrespective elements of the shoe care device 1 in connection with thecontrol panel 33 can be provided in the inner space of the door 30. Thecontroller 80 can be provided inside the machine room 50.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2A, the door 30 can be configured to open andclose both the inner cabinet 40 and the machine room 50.

In an example, the door 30 can be configured to open and close only theinner cabinet 40. In this case, the machine room 50 can be configurednot to be shielded by the door 30. Furthermore, in this case, the shoecare device 1 can further include a dedicated door of the machine room50 provided to close the machine room 50 separately from the door 30.

A steam generator 600 is provided in the shoe care device 1 as a devicefor generating moisture inside the inner cabinet 40. The steam generator600 can be provided inside the machine room 50. The steam generator 600can be configured to generate steam and selectively supply moisture andsteam into the inner cabinet 40.

Humid air generated by the steam generator 600 (“air” described in thepresent disclosure can be “air containing moisture”) can be supplied tothe inner space of the shoe care device 1, and the moisture cancirculate through the inner space, thereby providing moisture to theshoes.

In some examples, the shoe care device 1 can be a refresher device forrefreshing shoes.

For example, “refreshing” can indicate a process of removingcontaminants from shoes, deodorizing shoes, sanitizing shoes, preventingstatic electricity of shoes, or warming shoes by providing air, heatedair, water, mist, steam, etc. to the shoes.

The steam generator 600 can supply steam to the accommodation space 41of the inner cabinet 40 in which shoes are accommodated to perform steamtreatment on the shoes, and furthermore, it is intended to exert arefreshing effect by inflating the shoe material, as well as asterilization effect by high-temperature steam.

The steam generator 600 can be provided with a separate heater 610 forheating water therein, and can generate steam by heating water andsupply the steam to the accommodation space 41 of the inner cabinet 40.

As a water supply source for supplying water to the steam generator 600,an external faucet or the like can be used, or a container-type watersupply tank provided on one side of the machine room 50 can be used. Thesteam generator 600 can generate steam by receiving water from the watersupply tank 60.

In the shoe care device 1, the dehumidifying block 400 can be used as ameans for dehumidifying air.

The dehumidifying block 400 can be provided in the machine room 50.

The dehumidifying block 400 can be configured to have a predeterminedvolume. The dehumidifying block 400 can be configured to be porous byitself. A plurality of pores can be formed in the dehumidifying block400 over the entire volume, and air can pass through the dehumidifyingblock 400 through the pores. As will be described below, in the casewhere the dehumidifying block 400 is configured as a combination of aplurality of dehumidifying materials 430, the plurality of dehumidifyingmaterials 430 can be fixed to each other by separate fixing means, orfixed to each other by adhesion.

The dehumidifying block 400 can be configured to include a dehumidifyingmaterial.

The dehumidifying material 430 can be configured to include a materialcapable of lowering humidity by absorbing moisture in the air. Thedehumidifying material 430 can be formed of various materials orcombinations of materials capable of absorbing or adsorbing moisture inthe air, and can have various shapes and structures.

The dehumidifying material 430 can be referred to as “desiccant,”“absorbent,” or “adsorbent.”

The dehumidifying material 430 can be made of a microporous material.The dehumidifying material 430 can be configured to include silica gel,activated carbon, activated alumina (AL2O3), diatomaceous earth, and thelike.

In particular, the dehumidifying material 430 can be made of zeolite orcan be configured to include zeolite.

Zeolite is a natural and synthetic silicate mineral in which tunnels (oropen channels) having a size of about 3 to 10 angstroms (Å) areregularly arranged, and can perform a dehumidification function byadsorbing moisture from the air

In the case of heating zeolite, the moisture adsorbed onto the zeolitecan be separated into a large amount of vapor. Zeolite can perform adehumidification function of removing moisture from the air according tothe above characteristic thereof, and the moisture adsorbed onto thezeolite can be separated by heating the zeolite, thereby regeneratingthe zeolite into the state capable of the dehumidification function.

Hereinafter, a description will be made based on that the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 is made of zeolite.

Zeolite can be made in the form of a small grain (or stone) having asize (diameter) of several millimeters (mm) to several tens ofmillimeter (mm), and the dehumidifying material 430 can be a form inwhich these grains (or stones) are combined. Each of the grains (orstones) can be aggregated or combined to form a single structure.

The heater 710 can be provided on one side of the dehumidifying material(zeolite) 430, and the heater 710 can be selectively heated so thatdehumidification by the dehumidifying material 430 or regeneration ofthe dehumidifying material 430 can be performed.

The dehumidifying material (zeolite) 430 and the heater 710 can beconfigured as a set. A plurality of sets of the dehumidifying materialand the heater can be provided. In the shoe care device 1, in someexamples, two sets of the dehumidifying material and the heater 710 canbe provided.

Such a set can be referred to as a “drying module” in the shoe caredevice 1. In the shoe care device 1, a plurality of drying modules canbe provided or a pair of drying modules can be provided. In the casewhere a pair of drying modules is provided in the shoe care device 1,one drying module can be “drying module A,” and the other drying modulecan be “drying module B” (see FIG. 6).

In the shoe care device 1, the drying module A and the drying module Bcan be configured to operate in different modes. When the drying moduleA is operated in a dehumidifying mode (the case where the dehumidifyingmaterial adsorbs moisture from the air), the drying module B can beoperated in a regeneration mode (the case where the moisture adsorbedonto the dehumidifying material is separated by heating thedehumidifying material). In some examples, when the drying module A isoperated in a regeneration mode, the drying module B can be operated ina dehumidifying mode.

In some examples, both the drying module A and the drying module B canbe operated in a dehumidifying mode, or can be operated in aregeneration mode.

The shoe care device 1 can have a structure in which the dehumidifyingblock 400 is not separable from the machine room 50.

The shoe care device 1 according to an example of the present disclosurecan have a structure in which the dehumidifying block 400 can beseparable from the machine room 50. This structure of the shoe caredevice 1 can provide an advantage in overall maintenance and managementof the dehumidifying block 400 and the shoe care device 1.

The dehumidifying block 400 can be repeatedly used by regeneration, butcan need to be replaced due to repeated use.

In some implementations, the shoe care device 1 can be configured toenable separation and replacement of the dehumidifying block 400.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view illustrating the inside of the machineroom 50 of the shoe care device 1 shown in FIG. 2A. FIG. 4B is aperspective view illustrating a portion of the suction duct 210 in FIG.4A.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are views illustrating the inside of the machine room 50of the shoe care device 1 shown in FIG. 2A when viewed from oppositesides.

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a movement cycle of air in a shoe caredevice 1

The connection path F10 can form a passage through which the air movesinside the shoe care device 1.

The shoe care device 1 has an air circulation structure in which the airinside the inner cabinet 40 where shoes are placed is sucked into themachine room and is dehumidified using a dehumidifying material 430 andin which the dehumidified air is supplied back into the inner cabinet40.

The connection path F10 can be used as a means for making such an aircirculation structure in the shoe care device 1. All or a portion of theconnection path F10 can be configured in the form of a pipe, a tube, aduct, or a combination thereof.

The connection path F10 can define an air moving path connected from theoutlet 42 to the inlet 43. That is, the outlet 42 can configure anentrance to the connection path F10, and the inlet 43 can configure anexit of the connection path F10.

The outlet 42 and the inlet 43 can be provided in the inner cabinet 40,and most portions of the connection path F10, excluding the outlet 42and the inlet 43, can be provided in the machine room 50.

The air inside the inner cabinet 40 can move to the connection path F10through the outlet 42, and the air that has passed through theconnection path F10 can move back to the inner cabinet 40 through theinlet 43. As such airflow is repeated, a circulating airflow can occurin the shoe care device 1.

The dehumidifying block 400 is disposed on the connection path F10. Theair moving through the connection path F10 can pass through thedehumidifying block 400, and the dehumidifying block 400 can absorbmoisture from the air moving through the connection path (F10) so thatthe dehumidified air can be supplied to the inner cabinet 40.

The blower 220 is provided inside the machine room 50 to generateairflow in the shoe care device 1.

In particular, the blower 220 makes the flow of air in the connectionpath F10. That is, the blower 220 causes the air inside the innercabinet 40 to be sucked into the outlet 42 and the air inside theconnection path F10 to be discharged to the inner cabinet 40 through theinlet 43.

Dry air can be supplied into the inner cabinet 40 by the blower 220.

The connection path F10 can be divided into a first section F10 a, asecond section F10 b, and a third section F10 c. The first section F10a, the second section F10 b, and the third section F10 c aresequentially connected to each other to form an air passage. Air in theconnection path F10 can pass through the first section F10 a, the secondsection F10 b, and the third section F10 c in sequence.

The first section F10 a can be an upstream section of the connectionpath F10, which is connected to the outlet 42.

The first section F10 a can be connected to the outlet 42 and can be asection in which the blower 220 is located.

The first section F10 a can be a section through which humid air moves.

The second section F10 b can be a section connected to the first sectionF10 a and in which the dehumidifying block 400 is located. The secondsection F10 b can be a midstream section of the connection path F10.

The second section F10 b can be a section in which air is dehumidifiedby the dehumidifying block 400, or can be a section in which thedehumidifying block 400 (the dehumidifying material 430) is regenerated.

The third section F10 c can be a downstream section of the connectionpath F10, which connects the second section F10 b and the inlet 43.

The third section F10 c can be a section through which dry air, fromwhich moisture has been removed, moves.

The connection path F10 can be configured to include a suction duct 210,a blowing duct 230, and a discharge duct 525. The suction duct 210, theblowing duct 230, and the discharge duct 525 can be accommodated in themachine room 50.

The suction duct 210 configures a portion of the connection path F10.The suction duct 210 can be connected to the outlet 42 to suck air fromthe inner cabinet 40.

The sump 214 has a structure for accommodating water. The sump 214 ispositioned below the dehumidifying material 430.

The sump 214 can be formed integrally with the suction duct 210. In someimplementations, the lowermost portion of the suction duct 210 can havea container structure capable of storing water, and the lower portion ofthe suction duct 210 in the container structure (the lowermost portionof the lower duct 213) can be a sump 214.

A sump hole 215 forming an entrance, through which condensate waterflows into the sump 214, is formed on the outer edge of the sump 214.

The air introduced into the suction duct 210 can contain a relativelylarge amount of moisture in the process of refreshing shoes, and some ofthe air introduced into the suction duct 210 can be condensed in thesuction duct 210. In addition, condensate water inside the inner cabinet40 can be sucked into the suction duct 210 together with the air. Inthis case, the condensate water can fall to the lower portion of thesuction duct 210, move to the sump 214 formed integrally with thesuction duct 210 to be collected, and can then be discharged to thedrain tank or to the outside, or can be transported to the steamgenerator 600 or the like.

As described above, the shoe care device 1 can facilitate management anddischarge of condensate water.

The blowing duct 230 configures a portion of the connection path F10.The blowing duct 230 configures a passage through which air is suppliedto the dehumidifying material 430. The blowing duct 230 configures apassage through which the air passing through the blower 220 movestoward the first path F11. The blowing duct 230 extends from the blower220 to be connected to the housing inlet 311. The blowing duct 230 canextend upwards from the blower 220 to be connected to the housing inlet311.

The blower 220 can be connected between the suction duct 210 and theblowing duct 230, and a blowing fan 221 can be provided inside theblower 220. Air can be sucked from the inner cabinet 40 and the suckedair can be blown toward the blowing duct 230 by the operation of theblower 220 (the blowing fan 221).

The suction duct 210, the blower 220, and the blowing duct 230 cantogether form the first section F10 a.

The blowing duct 230 can be connected to one side of the dehumidifyinghousing 300 accommodating the dehumidifying material 430 so that the airblown through the blowing duct 230 can come into contact with thedehumidifying material 430. Accordingly, moisture is removed from theair in contact with the dehumidifying material 430.

The dehumidifying housing 300 and the dehumidifying block 400 cantogether form the second section F10 b.

The damper housing 520 can form the discharge duct 525.

The air passing through the dehumidifying housing 300 can be blowntoward the discharge duct 525 of the damper housing 520, which isconnected to the opposite side of the dehumidifying housing 300.

The damper housing 520 and the discharge duct 525 can form the thirdsection F10 c.

In some implementations, the damper 510 can be configured in the form ofa damper valve.

The damper 510 can be configured to open the regeneration path F20 whileclosing the third section F10 c, or open the third section F10 c whileclosing the regeneration path F20.

A damper housing 520 is configured to accommodate the damper 510.

A regeneration path hole 527 forming an entrance to the regenerationpath F20 is formed on the bottom of the damper housing 520.

The damper 510 can be configured to selectively shield the inside of thedamper housing 520 and the regeneration path hole 527. The damper 510can be configured to selectively seal the inside of the damper housing520 and the regeneration path hole 527.

The dry air blown into the discharge duct 525 of the damper housing 520can flow back into the inner cabinet 40 through the inlet 43 to refreshthe shoes.

As described above, the air inside the inner cabinet 40 passes throughthe outlet 42, the suction duct 210, the blower 220, the blowing duct230, the dehumidifying housing 300 (and the dehumidifying block 400),the discharge duct 525 of the damper housing 520, and the inlet 43, insequence, into the connection path F10.

The damper 510 is provided inside the damper housing 520 and controlsthe movement path of the air passing through the dehumidifying material430. Upon operation of the damper 510, the air passing through thedehumidifying material 430 can move into the inner cabinet 40 throughthe inlet 43, or can move to the regeneration path F20.

The damper 510 can be configured to selectively close any one of thedischarge duct 525 and the regeneration path F20. In the case where thedamper 510 opens the discharge duct 525 while closing the regenerationpath F20, the air passing through the dehumidifying material 430 canflow into the inner cabinet 40 through the inlet 43, and in the casewhere the damper 510 opens the regeneration path F20 while closing thedischarge duct 525, the air passing through the dehumidifying material430 can be condensed while moving through the regeneration path F20.

The moisture generated in the process of regenerating the dehumidifyingmaterial needs to be discharged through a path separated from theconnection path (F10) (the third section F10 c), which is the paththrough which dry air flows. Accordingly, the shoe care device 1 isconfigured to include the regeneration path F20, and when thedehumidifying material (zeolite) 430 is regenerated, the air passingthrough the dehumidifying material 430 moves through the regenerationpath F20, instead of being blown to the discharge duct 525.

The regeneration path F20 diverges from the connection path F10. Theregeneration path F20 can diverge from the third section F10 c of theconnection path F10. The regeneration path F20 leads to the sump 214.

The regeneration path F20 configures a path through which air passingthrough the dehumidifying material 430 and/or condensed water flows whenthe dehumidifying material 430 is regenerated. The entire regenerationpath F20 can be configured in the form of a pipe, a tube, a duct, or acombination thereof.

The moisture separated from the dehumidifying material 430 can move tothe condenser 800 together with the air moving through the regenerationpath F20 and can then be condensed. In addition, the condensate watercondensed in the condenser 800 can move to the lower portion of thesuction duct 210 through the regeneration path F20, can be collected atthe lower portion of the suction duct 210, and can then be discharged tothe drain tank 70 or to the outside or transported to the steamgenerator 600.

The regeneration path F20 can be configured such that the height thereofis gradually reduced from the point connected to the connection path F10to the point connected to the sump 214.

The cross-sectional area of the inside of the damper housing 520 isconfigured to be greater than the cross-sectional area of theregeneration path hole 527.

The cross-sectional area of the inside of the damper housing 520 and thecross-sectional area of the discharge duct 525 can be configured to begreater than the cross-sectional area of the regeneration path hole 527.In some implementations, the cross-sectional area of the inside of thedamper housing 520 and the cross-sectional area of the discharge duct525 can be configured to be double the cross-sectional area of theregeneration path hole 527 or more. In an example, in the case where thecross-sectional area of the inside of the damper housing 520 and therelative cross-sectional area of the discharge duct 525 are 10 cm²,respectively, the relative cross-sectional area of the regeneration pathhole 527 can be 0.5 to 2 cm².

Accordingly, the amount of moving air per unit time in the case wherethe damper 510 closes the regeneration path hole 527 and opens theinside (the discharge duct 525) of the damper housing 520 is much largerthan the amount of moving air per unit time in the case where the damper510 opens the regeneration path hole 527 and closes the inside (thedischarge duct 525) of the damper housing 520.

As described above, in the case where the cross-sectional areas of theinside of the damper housing 520 and the discharge duct 525 are muchgreater than the cross-sectional area of the regeneration path hole 527,as shown in FIG. 6, if the damper 510 closes the regeneration path hole527 and opens the discharge duct 525 in the drying module A and if thedamper 510 opens the regeneration path hole 527 and closes the dischargeduct 525 in the drying module B, most of the air (e.g., 95%) can flow tothe drying module A, and only a small fraction (e.g., 5%) of the air canflow to drying module B in the second section F10 b. In this case, thedrying module A can operate in a dehumidifying mode and drying module Bcan operate in a regeneration mode.

In some examples, in FIG. 6, if the damper 510 opens the regenerationpath hole 527 and closes the discharge duct 525 in the drying module Aand if the damper 510 closes the regeneration path hole 527 and opensthe discharge duct 525 in the drying module B, most of the air (e.g.,95%) can flow to the drying module B, and only a small fraction (e.g.,5%) of the air can flow to drying module A in the second section F10 b.In this case, the drying module B can operate in a dehumidifying modeand drying module A can operate in a regeneration mode.

The shoe care device 1 can have various shapes and structures dependingon the usage conditions thereof. The shoe care device 1 can be formed ina hexahedron shape that is long in the vertical direction. This formenables the shoe care device 1 to be installed and used in a relativelynarrow space in the vertical direction, and also causes the shoe caredevice 1 to be naturally arranged with the existing shoe cabinet.

The inner cabinet 40 can have any shape and structure as long as shoescan be received in the accommodation space 41.

The machine room 50 can be located below the inner cabinet 40 (the innerspace). This structure makes it suitable for the shoe care device 1 tobe formed in a hexahedral shape that is long in the vertical direction,and is advantageous for the convenience of use of the inner cabinet 40.

A rack 47 on which the shoes S are mounted can be provided in the insideof an accommodation space 41 (an inner space) of the inner cabinet 40. Aplurality of racks 47 can be provided, and the respective racks 47 canbe arranged vertically.

The dry air and steam supplied to the accommodation space 41 of theinner cabinet 40 tend to rise. In the shoe care device 1, the machineroom 50 can be located below the inner cabinet 40, and accordingly, thedry air and steam can naturally move upwards from the machine room 50toward the inner cabinet 40, so that the dry air and steam can beeffectively supplied.

In the shoe care device 1, zeolite effective for dehumidification,deodorization, and humidification can be disposed in the machine room50, and the air that has passed through the zeolite can flow back intothe inner cabinet 40 to circulate through the connection path F10, andcondensate water can be discharged through the regeneration path F20when the zeolite is regenerated, thereby effectively managing the shoes.

The dehumidifying block 400 can have a predetermined length in the firstdirection X. The dehumidifying block 400 can have a length d1 in thefirst direction X longer than a length d2 in the second direction Y anda length d3 in the third direction Z. Here, the first direction X canindicate the longitudinal direction of the dehumidifying block 400 (seeFIG. 13A).

The first direction X can be parallel to the horizontal direction or canbe substantially parallel to the horizontal direction.

The first direction X can be the direction directed from thedehumidifying block 400 to the inlet 43.

As described above, the shoe care device 1 can have a substantiallyhexahedral shape, and the surface of the shoe care device 1, on whichthe door 30 is formed, can be the front surface of the shoe care device1.

In some implementations, the first direction X can be the directiondirected from the front of the shoe care device 1 to the rear thereof.In an example, the first direction X can be a left-to-right direction ofthe shoe care device 1, or can be a right-to-left direction of the shoecare device 1.

FIG. 7A is a view illustrating a bottom of an inner cabinet 40 of theshoe care device 1 shown in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 7B is a view illustrating the state in which a dehumidifyingmaterial cover 46 is removed from the cabinet bottom plate 45 in FIG.7A, in which the dehumidifying block 400 is shown in a cross-sectionalview from which a ceiling part 401 is removed.

The inner cabinet 40 can be configured to include a cabinet bottom plate45 forming the bottom thereof.

The cabinet bottom plate 45 can be the boundary of the inner cabinet 40and the machine room 50. The cabinet bottom plate 45 can have arectangular shape.

The cabinet bottom plate 45 can be configured to be parallel to thehorizontal direction.

Alternatively, the cabinet bottom plate 45 can be configured to beinclined to either side. In this case, water (e.g., the condensatewater) on the upper surface of the cabinet bottom plate 45 can flow inany direction along the inclination.

In some implementations, the cabinet bottom plate 45 can be configuredsuch that the front thereof is inclined downwards.

In an example, the cabinet bottom plate 45 can be configured to beinclined downwards to the left, or can be configured to be inclineddownwards to the right.

The cabinet bottom plate 45 can configured to be inclined upwards alongthe first direction X, or the cabinet bottom plate 45 can be configuredto be inclined upwards along the second direction Y.

A steam hole 44 can be formed in the cabinet bottom plate 45. The steamhole 44 can be connected to the steam generator 600 by a pipe, a hose, aduct, or the like, and steam of the steam generator 600 can bedischarged into the inner cabinet 40 through the steam hole 44.

The shoe care device 1 can be configured to include a dehumidifyingmaterial cover 46.

The dehumidifying material cover 46 configures a portion of the cabinetbottom plate 45, which is the bottom of the inner cabinet 40. Inaddition, the dehumidifying material cover 46 can be detachably coupledto the cabinet bottom plate 45 of the inner cabinet 40, or can beconnected to the cabinet bottom plate 45 by a hinge.

A dehumidifying material cover 46 can be formed in the middle of thecabinet bottom plate 45.

In the cabinet bottom plate 45, a bottom hole 45 a can be formed as anopening having a shape and size corresponding to the dehumidifyingmaterial cover 46. The dehumidifying material cover 46 can be configuredto open and close the bottom hole 45 a. The dehumidifying material cover46 can be at least partially removable from the cabinet bottom plate 45.In some implementations, the dehumidifying material cover 46 can becompletely separated from the cabinet bottom plate 45, thereby openingthe bottom hole 45 a, and in an example, the dehumidifying materialcover 46 can rotate about a hinge axis, thereby opening the bottom hole45 a. The dehumidifying block 400 can be inserted into or drawn out ofthe machine room 50 through the bottom hole 45 a as an opening.

In addition, when the dehumidifying material cover 46 is separated fromthe cabinet bottom plate 45, the dehumidifying housing 300 positionedunder the cabinet bottom plate 45 can be exposed through the bottom hole45 a, so that the dehumidifying block 400 can be placed inside thedehumidifying housing 300 or the dehumidifying block 400 can beseparated from the dehumidifying housing 300.

The dehumidifying material cover 46 and the bottom hole can have anysize and shape as long as insertion and taking out of the dehumidifyingblock 400 are possible.

The dehumidifying material cover 46 can be formed in a rectangular plateshape.

The length of the dehumidifying material cover 46 can be equal to orgreater than the length of the dehumidifying block 400 in the firstdirection X, and the length of the dehumidifying material cover 46 canbe equal to or greater than the length of the dehumidifying block 400 inthe second direction Y.

In the case where a pair of dehumidifying blocks 400 is provided, a pairof dehumidifying material covers 46 can be provided to individuallyshield or open each dehumidifying block 400, or one dehumidifyingmaterial cover 46 can be provided to shield or open all of the pair ofdehumidifying blocks 400.

The dehumidifying material cover 46 can be configured to shield thedehumidifying block 400 to be spaced apart therefrom. A space betweenthe dehumidifying material cover 46 and the dehumidifying block 400 canform a second path F12.

As described above, the outlet 42, which is a hole through which the airis sucked from the inner cabinet 40, can configure the beginning of theconnection path F10. The outlet 42 can be formed on the bottom (thecabinet bottom plate 45) of the inner cabinet 40 or can be formedadjacent to the bottom of the inner cabinet 40.

A mesh such as a grid type, a screen type, or the like can be providedin the outlet 42.

The outlet 42 can be formed parallel to the first direction X. That is,the outlet 42 can be configured in the form of a long slot on thecabinet bottom plate 45 along the first direction X. The outlet 42 canbe disposed parallel to the dehumidifying block 400.

In some examples, the outlet 42 can be formed at the edge of the cabinetbottom plate 45. In some examples, the outlet 42 can be formed along thefirst direction X at the edge of the cabinet bottom plate 45. In someexamples, the outlet 42 can be formed in the front portion or the rearportion of the cabinet bottom plate 45 in the second direction Y.

The outlet 42 can be located on the cabinet bottom plate 45 to berelatively close to the door 30. That is, the outlet 42 can bepositioned relatively at the front of the cabinet bottom plate 45.

As described above, the inlet 43, which is a hole through which air isdischarged into the inner cabinet 40, can configure the end portion ofthe connection path F10. The inlet 43 can be formed at the bottom (thecabinet bottom plate 45) of the inner cabinet 40 or can be formedadjacent to the bottom of the inner cabinet 40.

The inlet 43 can be formed along the second direction Y perpendicular tothe first direction X at the edge of the bottom of the inner cabinet 40.The inlet 43 can be configured in the form of a long slot in onedirection.

A nesh such as a grid type, a screen type, or the like can be providedin the inlet 43.

When the outlet 42 is located at the front of the bottom of the innercabinet 40, the inlet 43 can be located in the left or right portion ofthe bottom of the inner cabinet 40. When the outlet 42 is located in theleft or right portion of the bottom of the inner cabinet 40, the inlet43 can be located at the rear of the bottom of the inner cabinet 40.

The steam hole 44 can be located on the side opposite the outlet 42 andclose to the inlet 43 on the bottom of the inner cabinet 40. That is,the steam hole 44 can be located relatively far from the outlet 42 andrelatively close to the inlet 43.

When the outlet 42 is formed at the front of the bottom of the innercabinet 40 and when the inlet 43 is formed in the right portion of thebottom of the inner cabinet 40, the steam hole 44 can be formed on thebottom of the inner cabinet 40 so as to be close to the right side atthe rear thereof (see FIGS. 7A and 7B).

Accordingly, the steam discharged from the steam hole 44 cansufficiently move to be dispersed throughout the inside of the innercabinet 40, instead of being directly sucked into the outlet 42, and, inparticular, since it is located adjacent to the inlet 43, the steam canbe more strongly discharged into the inner cabinet 40 by the flow(force) of the air discharged from the inlet 43 so that the steam can besupplied to the entire space inside the inner cabinet 40.

FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a portion of the shoecare device 1 taken along line A-A′ in FIG. 7A, in which a blowing duct230 is shown as a separate cross-sectional view, FIG. 8B is across-sectional view illustrating a portion of the shoe care device 1taken along line B-B′ in FIG. 7A, and FIG. 8C is a cross-sectional viewillustrating a portion of the shoe care device 1 taken along line C-C′in FIG. 7A.

The suction duct 210 can be configured to extend downwards from theoutlet 42.

The suction duct 210 can be configured to include an upper duct 211, amiddle duct 212, and a lower duct 213.

The upper duct 211 can configure the uppermost portion of the suctionduct 210. The upper duct 211 can be configured to extend downwards fromthe outlet 42 in the vertical direction.

The middle duct 212 configures a portion further extending downwardsfrom the lower end of the upper duct 211.

The middle duct 212 can be configured to be bent to either side from theupper duct 211. The middle duct 212 can be configured to be bent to theinside of the shoe care device 1 from the upper duct 211.

The lower duct 213 configures a portion further extending downwards fromthe lower end of the middle duct 212. The lower duct 213 can beconfigured to extend downwards from the middle duct 212 in the verticaldirection.

In some implementations, the blower 220 can be configured to generateairflow in the connection path F10. In some examples, the blower 220 canbe positioned between the suction duct 210 and the blowing duct 230based on the air movement direction in the connection path F10, and canbe configured to connect the suction duct 210 with the blowing duct 230.In some examples,

In some examples, the blower 220 can be configured to connect the lowerduct 213 with the blowing duct 230. In some examples, the blower 220 canbe positioned lower than the outlet 42 and the inlet 43. In someimplementations, the blower 220 can include a blowing fan 221, a blowinghousing 225, and a motor 227.

The blowing fan 221 can be configured to rotate about the rotation axis222 in the second direction Y, which is a horizontal direction and isperpendicular to the first direction X. The motor 227 of the blower 220rotates the blowing fan 221.

The rotation axis 222 of the blowing fan 221 can be positioned in frontof the blowing duct 230 in the first direction X.

The blowing housing 225 is configured to accommodate the blowing fan221. The blowing housing 225 can be formed in a round shape about therotation axis 222 of the blowing fan 221.

The blowing housing 225 is configured to communicate with the suctionduct 210 and the blowing duct 230, respectively, and configures aportion of the connection path F10.

The blowing housing 225 can be connected to and communicate with thesuction duct 210 on the rotation axis 222 of the blowing fan 221, andcan be connected to and communicate with the blowing duct 230 at theedge thereof.

Accordingly, the air inside the suction duct 210 is introduced into theblowing housing 225 near the rotation axis 222 of the blowing fan 221,and the air inside the blowing housing 225 moves along thecircumferential direction of the blowing housing 225 while being pressedtowards the edge of the blowing housing 225 according to the rotation ofthe blowing fan 221, thereby moving to the blowing duct 230.

The blowing duct 230 can be formed such that the width in the seconddirection Y is continuously increased toward the upper portion.

The blowing duct 230 can be configured to include a lower blowing duct231 and an upper blowing duct 232.

The lower blowing duct 231 is connected to the blower 220. The lowerblowing duct 231 communicates with the blowing housing 225 of the blower220.

The upper blowing duct 232 extends upwards from the lower blowing duct231. The upper blowing duct 232 can be connected to the housing inlet311 to communicate therewith.

The width W2 of the upper blowing duct 232 in the second direction Y canbe configured to be greater than the width W1 of the lower blowing duct231 in the second direction Y. The width W2 of the upper blowing duct232 in the second direction Y can be configured to be 1.5 to 2.5 timesthe width W1 of the lower blowing duct 231 in the second direction Y.

With the configuration of the blowing duct 230 described above, the flowrate of air supplied to the inner space (the first path F11) of thedehumidifying block 400 can be stably secured, and, in particular, evenif a pair of dehumidifying blocks 400 is provided, sufficient air can besupplied to the dehumidifying block 400.

The blowing housing 225 and the blowing duct 230 can form a spiralpassage about the rotation axis 222 of the blowing fan 221 together suchthat the air inside the blowing housing 225 can naturally move to theblowing duct 230 when the blowing fan 221 rotates.

The spiral passage can be configured such that the radial distance fromthe rotation axis 222 of the blowing fan 221 gradually increases fromblowing housing 225 to the blowing duct 230 along the rotationaldirection of the blowing fan 221. In some implementations, as shown inFIG. 8C, the distance from the rotation axis 222 of the blowing fan 221to the outer edges of the blowing housing 225 and the blowing duct 230can be configured to gradually increase along the clockwise direction.

Based on the first direction X, the rear end of the blowing housing 225or the rear end of the blowing duct 230 can be configured to furtherprotrude backwards in the first direction X compared to the rear end ofthe dehumidifying block 400, or to be position at the same position asthe same.

Accordingly, the flow direction of the air passing through the blowinghousing 225 and the blowing fan 221 can substantially match the flowdirection of the air moving to the path (the first path F11) inside thedehumidifying block 400, or can naturally switch to the same. As shownin FIG. 8C, the air inside the blowing housing 225 and the blowing duct230 moves in the clockwise direction about the rotation axis 222 of theblowing fan 221, and the air of the path (the first path F11) inside thedehumidifying block 400 also moves in the clockwise direction.

Accordingly, the air moving along the connection path F10 can smoothlypass through the dehumidifying block 400, and the path resistance of theair passing through the dehumidifying block 400 can be prevented fromincreasing.

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating an internal path structure of thecondenser 800 shown in FIG. 4A.

FIG. 10A is a side view illustrating an example of a condenser 800, andFIG. 10B is a plan view illustrating the condenser 800 in FIG. 10A.

The condenser 800 configures a portion of regeneration path F20.

The condenser 800 can be positioned behind the water supply tank 60 orthe drain tank 70 inside the machine room 50.

The condenser 800 is positioned lower than the dehumidifying material430 and higher than the sump 214. The condenser 800 is made of metal.The condenser 800 can be made of a metal with excellent thermalconductivity. The condenser 800 can be made of aluminum.

The condenser 800 can be configured to include a condenser inlet 810, acondenser outlet 830, and a condenser path 820.

The condenser inlet 810 is connected to the connection path F10. Thecondenser inlet 810 is connected to the regeneration path hole 527 by aseparate pipe, hose, and the like constituting the regeneration pathF20.

The condenser outlet 830 is connected to the sump 214. The condenseroutlet 830 is connected to the sump hole 215 by a separate pipe, hose,and the like constituting the regeneration path F20.

The condenser path 820, which is a passage for air (or water) providedinside the condenser 800, connects the condenser inlet 810 with thecondenser outlet 830.

The condenser path 820 can be configured such that the height thereof isgradually reduced from the condenser inlet 810 to the condenser outlet830.

The condenser path 820 can be formed in a zigzag form. The condenserpath 820 can be arranged parallel to the plane in the verticaldirection.

Accordingly, the condenser 800 can be configured in a vertically thinstructure, and the volume thereof occupying the inside of the machineroom 50 can be minimized, and the water condensed inside the condenser800 can move smoothly along the direction of gravity without gatheringinside the condenser 800.

The condenser 800 can be positioned lower than the third section F10 cand the damper 510.

The condenser 800 can be positioned on the opposite side of the heater710 based on the suction duct 210. The suction duct 210 can beconfigured to shield the heater 710 and the condenser 800 from eachother.

Accordingly, the heat of the heater 710 can be prevented from beingtransferred to the condenser 800, and condensation of water vapor can beeffectively performed in the condenser 800.

Based on the lower duct 213, the condenser 800 can be positioned on theopposite side of the blower 220. Accordingly, the spaces on both sidesof the lower duct 213 can be efficiently utilized, and the increase inthe volume of the machine room 50 according to the provision of thecondenser 800 can be prevented.

FIG. 11A is a perspective view illustrating the state in which adehumidifying housing 300, a dehumidifying block 400, and a heater 710are combined with each other in the shoe care device 1 shown in FIG. 3B.FIG. 11B is a perspective view illustrating the state in which thedehumidifying housing 300, the dehumidifying block 400, and the heater710 are separated from each other in FIG. 11A.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating the dehumidifying housing 300in FIG. 11A.

The dehumidifying housing 300 can be configured as a container capableof accommodating the dehumidifying block 400.

The dehumidifying housing 300 can be configured as a container of whichthe upper side is substantially open. In particular, the dehumidifyinghousing 300 can be configured such that the dehumidifying block 400 canbe put into or taken out of the dehumidifying housing 300 through theupper side thereof. The dehumidifying material cover 46 can be coupledto the upper side of the dehumidifying housing 300 to open and close theupper opening of the dehumidifying housing 300.

The dehumidifying block 400 is accommodated inside the dehumidifyinghousing 300.

The inner space of the dehumidifying housing 300 configures a portion ofthe connection path F10.

The heater 710 is positioned on the connection path F10 and configuredto heat the air in the connection path F10.

In addition, the heater 710 is configured to heat the dehumidifyingblock 400. The heater 710 is configured to heat the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 constituting the dehumidifying block 400. In some examples,the heater 710 is disposed on the connection path F10 to be adjacent tothe dehumidifying block 400.

Both the dehumidifying block 400 and the heater 710 can be accommodatedin the dehumidifying housing 300.

The heater 710 can be positioned in the inner space formed by thedehumidifying housing 300 and the dehumidifying block 400.

The dehumidifying housing 300 and the heater 710 will be furtherdescribed later.

FIGS. 13A and 13B are perspective views illustrating a dehumidifyingblock 400 when viewed in different directions.

FIG. 13C is a transverse cross-sectional view illustrating thedehumidifying block 400 in FIG. 13A.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating a dehumidifying block 400.

FIGS. 15A and 15B are transverse cross-sectional views illustrating adehumidifying block 400 and a heater 710, respectively.

FIGS. 16A and 16B are transverse cross-sectional views illustrating adehumidifying block 400 and a heater 710, respectively.

FIGS. 17A and 17B are longitudinal cross-sectional views illustrating adehumidifying block 400.

A plurality of dehumidifying blocks 400 can be provided in the shoe caredevice 1.

A pair of dehumidifying blocks 400 can be provided in the shoe caredevice 1. The dehumidifying block 400 can be arranged in the seconddirection Y perpendicular to the first direction X.

The dehumidifying block 400 is positioned on the connection path F10,and is configured to remove moisture from the air passing through theconnection path F10.

The dehumidifying block 400 is configured to form the inner space 404,and the air in the inner space 404 moves to pass through thedehumidifying block 400 over the entire area thereof. Accordingly, thecontact area between the air passing through the connection path F10 andthe dehumidifying material 430 can be increased.

The dehumidifying block 400 can be configured to include an inner mesh410, an outer mesh 420, and a dehumidifying material 430. In addition,the dehumidifying block 400 can be configured to include a first frame440.

Each of the inner mesh 410 and the outer mesh 420 can be configured inthe form of a mesh, and a plurality of holes can be formed in the innermesh 410 and the outer mesh 420 over the entire area thereof. The holesof the inner mesh 410 and the outer mesh 420 can be formed smaller thanthe size of each grain of the dehumidifying material 430 to prevent thedehumidifying material 430 from escaping therefrom.

The inner mesh 410 and the outer mesh 420 can be made of a relativelyhard material to maintain the shape of the dehumidifying block 400. Eachof the inner mesh 410 and the outer mesh 420 can be configured toinclude a material such as a metal, a heat-resistant synthetic resin orsynthetic fiber, a carbon fiber, and the like.

Each of the inner mesh 410 and the outer mesh 420 can have apredetermined area, and can be formed in a curved shape, or they can beconfigured in the form of a combination of flat surfaces bent to eachother.

The inner mesh 410 can have a structure to form the inner space 404 ofthe dehumidifying block 400. The heater 710 can be accommodated in theinner space 404 of the inner mesh 410.

The outer mesh 420 is positioned outside the inner mesh 410.

The inner mesh 410 configures the inner surface of the dehumidifyingblock 400, and the outer mesh 420 configures the outer surface of thedehumidifying block 400.

Each of the inner mesh 410 and the outer mesh 420 can have a constantsection along the first direction X.

As described above, the dehumidifying material 430 is configured as acombination of a plurality of grains (or stones), and the space betweenthe inner mesh 410 and the outer mesh 420 is filled with thedehumidifying material 430.

The dehumidifying block 400 can be configured in the form of a pipe or atunnel extending along the horizontal direction.

The dehumidifying block 400 can have various shapes in the cross-sectionthereof, such as a circle, an ellipse, a polygon, and the like.

The dehumidifying block 400 can have a shape that is opened to one sidein the cross-section thereof. The opening in the dehumidifying block 400can be directed downwards.

The dehumidifying block 400 can have a cross-section in a “⊏” shape or a“U” shape.

The dehumidifying block 400 can have a cross-section in a “

” shape (see FIG. 13C). The dehumidifying block 400 in the abovestructure expands the contact area between the dehumidifying material430 and the air, enables uniform formation of the second path F12 overthe entire outer area of the dehumidifying block 400, and facilitatesseparation and replacement of the dehumidifying block 400.

In the case where the dehumidifying block 400 has a cross-section in a “

” shape, the inner mesh 410 and the outer mesh 420 can be connected toeach other.

In the case where the dehumidifying block 400 has a cross-section in a “

” shape, the dehumidifying block 400 can be divided into a ceiling part401, a first side wall 402, and a second side wall 403, which will bedescribed in detail later.

The inner space 404 of the dehumidifying block 400 (the inner space ofthe inner mesh 410) configures the first path F11 that is a portion ofthe connection path F10. The heater 710 can be positioned in the firstpath F11.

As described above, the dehumidifying block 400 has a predeterminedlength in the first direction X, and the length of the first path F11 isthe same as or similar to the total length d1 of the dehumidifying block400 in the first direction X.

The first path F11 is configured to have a predetermined length in thefirst direction X. In some implementations, the length of the first pathF11 in the first direction X is configured to be greater than the length(width) in the second direction Y or the length (height) in the thirddirection Z. That is, the longitudinal direction of the first path F11can be parallel to the first direction X. In some implementations, thelength of the first path F11 in the first direction X can be configuredto be double the length (width) in the second direction Y or the length(height) in the third direction Z.

If the first direction X is the longitudinal direction of the first pathF11, if the second direction Y is the width direction of the first pathF11, and if the third direction Z is the height direction of the firstpath F11, the length of the first path F11 can be greater than the widthand the height of the first path F11.

The air introduced into the outlet 42 can flow while passing through thedehumidifying block 400 from the inside to the outside thereof.

The first path F11 configures the upstream of the second section F10 bof the connection path F10. That is, when the air of the first sectionF10 a flows to the second section F11 b, the air first enters the firstpath F11, and then the air introduced into the first path F11 can passthrough the dehumidifying block 400.

The first path F11 can be formed inside the dehumidifying block 400, andas described above, the first path F11 can be formed long in the firstdirection X so that the air moving along the first path F11 can move inthe direction to pass through the dehumidifying block 400 (the directioncrossing the first direction X), so the contact area between the air ofthe connection path F10 and the grains of each dehumidifying material430 can become sufficiently large, thereby increasing the dehumidifyingefficiency.

If the distance between the inner mesh 410 and the outer mesh 420 in thedehumidifying block 400 is the thickness of the dehumidifying block 400,the thickness of the upper portion of the dehumidifying block 400 can begreater than the thickness of the lower portion (see FIG. 16A and FIG.16B).

The air passing through the first path F11 can tend to flow upwardswhile being heated by the heater 710, and since the thickness of theupper portion of the dehumidifying block 400 is greater than thethickness of the lower portion, the air passing through thedehumidifying block 400 can come into contact with a large number ofdehumidifying material grains, thereby further improving thedehumidifying efficiency.

In some implementations, the dehumidifying block 400 can have a constantthickness (t1=t2) along the first direction X (see FIG. 17A).

In an example, the dehumidifying block 400 can have a thickness thatchanges along the first direction X. For example, the rear portion ofthe dehumidifying block 400 can be thicker in the first direction X, andthe dehumidifying block 400 can become thinner toward the front portionthereof in the first direction X (t1>t2) (see FIG. 17B)

In particular, the rear portion of the ceiling part 401 of thedehumidifying block 400 can be thicker in the first direction X, and theceiling part 401 of the dehumidifying block 400 can become thinnertoward the front portion thereof in the first direction X (t1>t2). Inaddition, the ceiling part 401 of the dehumidifying block 400 can beconfigured such that the inner surface thereof is inclined upwards as itis closer to the front portion thereof in the first direction X.

As will be described later, the housing inlet 311 can face the bottomsurface of the ceiling part 401 of the dehumidifying block 400, and thehousing inlet 311 can be formed at the position close to the rearportion in the first direction X.

In this case, the air injected into the first path F11 through thehousing inlet 311 can be directed toward the ceiling part 401 at therear in the first direction X, and the air introduced into the firstpath F11 can first come into contact with the dehumidifying material inthe thickest portion thereof, thereby improving the contact efficiencybetween the air and the dehumidifying material.

In addition, since the inner surface (bottom surface) of the ceilingpart 401 of the dehumidifying block 400 is formed to be inclined upwardsas it is closer to the front portion thereof in the first direction X(see FIG. 17B), the air passing through the blowing housing 225, theblowing duct 230, and the first path F11 can effectively move and a flowresistance can be minimized.

FIGS. 18 and 19A are cross-sectional views illustrating a partialconfiguration of the shoe care device 1 shown in FIG. 3A, respectively.

FIGS. 19B and 19C are cross-sectional views illustrating a partialconfiguration of a shoe care device 1, respectively.

The dehumidifying block 400 and the dehumidifying material 430 can bepositioned below the bottom (the bottom plate 45 and the dehumidifyingmaterial cover 46) of the inner cabinet 40, and the dehumidifying block400 can be spaced apart from the bottom of the inner cabinet 40.

The external space of the dehumidifying block 400 (the external space ofthe outer mesh 420) configures the second path F12 that is a portion ofthe connection path F10.

The space between the outer surface of the dehumidifying block 400 (theouter surface of the outer mesh 420) and the inner surface of thedehumidifying housing 300 can configure a portion of the second pathF12.

The space between the cabinet bottom plate 45 of the inner cabinet 40and the dehumidifying block 400 can configure a portion of the secondpath F12. In particular, the space between the dehumidifying materialcover 46 and the dehumidifying block 400 can configure a portion of thesecond path F12.

The air introduced into the outlet 42 passes through the suction duct210, the blower 220, and the blowing duct 230 to flow into the innerspace 404 of the inner mesh 410, and flows from the first path F11 tothe second path F12 while passing through the dehumidifying block 400.

The dehumidifying block 400 can be configured to include a ceiling part401, a first side wall 402, and a second side wall 403. The inner mesh410 and the outer mesh 420 can be connected to each other.

The ceiling part 401 can be formed to be flat in the horizontaldirection.

Each of the first side wall 402 and the second side wall 403 can be flatin the vertical direction. The first side wall 402 extends downwardsfrom one side of the ceiling part 401, and the second side wall 403extends downwards from the opposite side of the ceiling part 401. Thesecond side wall 403 can be spaced apart from the first side wall 402,and can be configured to be parallel to the first side wall 402.

The ceiling part 401, the first side wall 402, and the second side wall403 are configured to have predetermined thicknesses, respectively.

The ceiling part 401, the first side wall 402, and the second side wall403 is configured to include an inner mesh 410, an outer mesh 420, and adehumidifying material 430, respectively.

The ceiling part 401, the first side wall 402, and the second side wall403 are configured to respectively include an inner mesh 410, an outermesh 420, a dehumidifying material 430, and a first frame 440.

In some implementations, assuming that the shortest distance from theinner mesh 410 to the outer mesh 420 in the dehumidifying block 400 isthe thickness of the dehumidifying block 400, the ceiling part 401, thefirst side wall 402, and the second side wall 403 can be configured tohave the same thickness as each other.

In an example, assuming that the shortest distance from the inner mesh410 to the outer mesh 420 in the dehumidifying block 400 is thethickness of the dehumidifying block 400, the thickness of the ceilingpart 401 can be configured to be greater than the thickness of the firstside wall 402 or second side wall 403.

The inner space 404 surrounded by the ceiling part 401, the first sidewall 402, and the second side wall 403 configure a first path F11, andthe outer space of the ceiling part 401, the first side wall 402, andthe second side wall 403 configure a second path F12.

The heater 710 can be configured to be surrounded by the ceiling part401, the first side wall 402, and the second side wall 403.

In the shoe care device 1, the first path F11, which is the inner space404 of the dehumidifying block 400, can be configured to be shielded orsealed in the rear and front thereof in the first direction X. The firstpath F11, which is the inner space of the dehumidifying block 400, canbe shielded or sealed in the foremost and rearmost thereof in the firstdirection X.

Therefore, all or most air introduced into the first path F11 can passthrough the dehumidifying block 400, instead of escaping from the firstpath F11 through the rear or front in the first direction X.

The dehumidifying housing 300 can be configured to include a housingbottom plate 310, a rear dehumidifying material wall 320, a frontdehumidifying material wall 330, left dehumidifying material walls 340 aand 340 b, and right dehumidifying material walls 350 a and 350 b (seeFIGS. 11B and 12).

The housing bottom plate 310 can be configured in the form of a plate onwhich the dehumidifying block 400 is placed. The housing bottom plate310 can be configured in the form of a plate that is flat in thehorizontal direction.

A housing inlet 311 is formed on the housing bottom plate 310.

The housing inlet 311 is a hole formed on the housing bottom plate 310and configures an inlet through which air is introduced into the innerspace of the dehumidifying block 400. The housing inlet 311 configuresan inlet through which air flows into the first path F11.

In the housing inlet 311, a mesh such as a grid type, a screen, or thelike can be provided.

The housing inlet 311 can be formed to face the bottom surface of theceiling part 401 of the dehumidifying block 400.

The housing inlet 311 can be formed to be closer to the rear of thedehumidifying housing 300 in the first direction X. The housing inlet311 can be formed adjacent to the rear end of the housing bottom plate310 in the first direction X.

The ceiling part 401 of the dehumidifying block 400 can be configuredsuch that a portion thereof closer to the housing inlet 311 is thickerthan the portion far away from the housing inlet 311.

The rear dehumidifying material wall 320, the front dehumidifyingmaterial wall 330, the left dehumidifying material walls 340 a and 340b, and the right dehumidifying material walls 350 a and 350 b canrespectively constitute wall surfaces erected in the vertical direction.In the dehumidifying housing 300, based on the first direction X, therear dehumidifying material wall 320 can configure a rear wall surface,the front dehumidifying material wall 330 can configure a front wallsurface, the left dehumidifying material wall 340 a and 340 b canconfigure left wall surfaces, and the right dehumidifying material walls350 a and 350 b can configure right wall surfaces.

The rear dehumidifying material wall 320 extends upwards from thehousing bottom plate 310. In the state in which the dehumidifying block400 is accommodated in the dehumidifying housing 300, the reardehumidifying material wall 320 is positioned behind the dehumidifyingblock 400 in the first direction X. In this case, the rear dehumidifyingmaterial wall 320 can be configured to be in close contact with or closeto the rear surface of the dehumidifying block 400 in the firstdirection X.

In the case where the rear dehumidifying material wall 320 is close tothe rear surface of the dehumidifying block 400 in the first directionX, the gap between the rear dehumidifying material wall 320 and thedehumidifying block 400 can be configured to be very small, for example,about 1 mm or less.

The rear dehumidifying material wall 320 can be configured to shield orseal the first path F11, which is the inner space 404 of thedehumidifying block 400, at the rear thereof in the first direction X.

The front dehumidifying material wall 330 extends upwards from thehousing bottom plate 310. The front dehumidifying material wall 330 ispositioned in front of the dehumidifying block 400 in the firstdirection X. In the state in which the dehumidifying block 400 isaccommodated in the dehumidifying housing 300, the front dehumidifyingmaterial wall 330 is spaced forward apart from the dehumidifying block400 and the vertical plate 722 in the first direction X. A housingoutlet 331 through which the air in the second path F12 flows can beformed in the front dehumidifying material wall 330 so as to penetratethe same in the first direction X.

The left dehumidifying material walls 340 a and 340 b connect the reardehumidifying material wall 320 and the front dehumidifying materialwall 330 on the left side of the dehumidifying block 400 in the firstdirection X.

The right dehumidifying material walls 350 a and 350 b connect the reardehumidifying material wall 320 and the front dehumidifying materialwall 330 on the right side of the dehumidifying block 400 in the firstdirection X.

In the case where a pair of dehumidifying blocks 400 is provided in theshoe care device 1, the dehumidifying housing 300 can be configured toaccommodate the pair of dehumidifying blocks 400 in separate spaces.

In some examples, the dehumidifying housing 300 can be configured toinclude a housing bottom plate 310, a rear dehumidifying material wall320, a front dehumidifying material wall 330, a first left dehumidifyingmaterial wall 340 a, a first right dehumidifying material wall 350 a, asecond left dehumidifying material wall 340 b, and a second rightdehumidifying material wall 350 b.

Any one of the dehumidifying blocks 400 can be accommodated between thefirst left dehumidifying material wall 340 a and the first rightdehumidifying material wall 350 a, and the other dehumidifying block 400can be accommodated between the second left dehumidifying material wall340 b and the second right dehumidifying material wall 350 b.

In the shoe care device 1, the first right dehumidifying material wall350 a and the second left dehumidifying material wall 340 b can beformed separately from each other, or can be formed integrally with eachother.

In the state in which the dehumidifying blocks 400 are accommodated inthe dehumidifying housing 300, the inner surfaces of the leftdehumidifying material walls 340 a and 340 b can face the outer surfacesof the first side walls 402 while being spaced apart from each other.Accordingly, predetermined gaps are formed between the leftdehumidifying material walls 340 a and 340 b and the first side walls402, and these gaps configure portions of the second path F12.

In addition, in the state in which the dehumidifying blocks 400 areaccommodated in the dehumidifying housing 300, the inner surfaces of theright dehumidifying material walls 350 a and 350 b can face the outersurfaces of the second side walls 403 while being spaced apart from eachother. Accordingly, predetermined gaps are formed between the rightdehumidifying material walls 350 a and 350 b and the second side walls403, and these gaps configure portions of the second path F12.

In addition, as described above, gaps are formed between thedehumidifying material cover 46 and the dehumidifying blocks 400, andthese gaps configure the second path F12.

The space configuring the second path F12 communicates with the spacebetween the vertical plate 722 and the front dehumidifying material wall330, and the air in the second path F12 moves forward in the firstdirection X through the housing outlet 331 to flow into the damperhousing 520.

In the shoe care device 1, based on the third direction Z opposite thedirection of gravity, the dehumidifying block 400 is located at the sameheight as or at a higher position than the housing inlet 311, which isthe inlet of the first path F11, and the first path F11 is formedupwards from the lower end of the dehumidifying block 400, and thesecond path F12 is formed upwards from the lower end of thedehumidifying block 400 so as to surround the first path F11.

In the first path F11, the air moves in a direction perpendicular to thefirst direction X while moving along the first direction X.

The pressure in the first path F11 is greater than the pressure in thesecond path F12, and the pressure at the rear of the first path F11 inthe first direction X, in which the housing inlet 311 is formed, isgreater than the front thereof. In addition, the pressure inside thedehumidifying housing 300 is greater than the pressure inside the damperhousing 520.

Therefore, considering the direction of movement of air and the applieddirection of pressure in the connection path F10, when the air in thefirst path F11 passes through the dehumidifying block 400 to flow to thesecond path F12, the air can pass and flow through entire portion of thedehumidifying material 430, enabling maximum utilization of thedehumidifying material 430.

In addition, when the heater 710 is operated in regeneration of thedehumidifying material 430, the air in the first path F11 can move moresmoothly in the direction opposite the direction of gravity (the thirddirection Z), thereby effectively regenerating the dehumidifyingmaterial 430.

In the shoe care device 1, the dehumidifying housing 300 can beconfigured to include a first guide protrusion 360. A plurality of firstguide protrusions 360 is provided in the dehumidifying housing 300.

The first guide protrusions 360 can be configured to protrude inwardsfrom the respective inner surfaces of the left dehumidifying materialwalls 340 a and 340 b and the respective inner surfaces of the rightdehumidifying material walls 350 a and 350 b so as to support thedehumidifying blocks 400.

As the first guide protrusions 360 are formed, predetermined gaps arestably formed between the left dehumidifying material walls 340 a and340 b and the first side walls 402, and predetermined gaps are stablyformed between the right dehumidifying material walls 350 a and 350 band the second side walls 403. Accordingly, the dehumidifying block 400is prevented from moving in the horizontal direction inside thedehumidifying housing 300 and the second path F12 is stably maintained.

In the shoe care device 1, the dehumidifying block 400 can be configuredto include a second guide protrusion 480. A plurality of second guideprotrusions 480 is provided in the dehumidifying block 400.

The second guide protrusions 480 can be configured to protrude outwardsfrom the outer surface of the dehumidifying block 400. The second guideprotrusions 480 are configured to protrude outwards from the outersurface of the first side wall 402 and the outer surface of the secondside wall 403, respectively. Some second guide protrusions 480 can be inclose contact with the inner surfaces of the left dehumidifying materialwall 340 a and 340 b, and other second guide protrusions 480 can be inclose contact with the inner surfaces of the right dehumidifyingmaterial wall 350 a and 350 b.

As the second guide protrusions 480 are formed, predetermined gaps arestably formed between the left dehumidifying material walls 340 a and340 b and the first side walls 402, and predetermined gaps are stablyformed between the right dehumidifying material walls 350 a and 350 band the second side walls 403. Accordingly, the dehumidifying block 400is prevented from moving in the horizontal direction inside thedehumidifying housing 300 and the second path F12 is stably maintained.

In the shoe care device 1, the first guide protrusion 360 and the secondguide protrusion 480 can be formed selectively, or can be formedtogether.

In the shoe care device 1, the dehumidifying material cover 46 can beconfigured to include a third guide protrusion 46 a.

The third guide protrusion 46 a can be configured to protrude downwardsfrom the bottom surface of the dehumidifying material cover 46 tosupport the dehumidifying block 400. A plurality of third guideprotrusions 46 a can be provided in the dehumidifying material cover 46.

As the third guide protrusions 46 a are formed, a predetermined gap isstably formed between the dehumidifying material cover 46 and theceiling part 401. Accordingly, the dehumidifying block 400 is preventedfrom moving in the vertical direction inside the dehumidifying housing300, and the second path F12 is stably maintained

In some implementations, if the configurations for stably maintainingthe second path F12 (the first guide protrusions 360, the second guideprotrusions 480, or the third guide protrusions 46 a) are not provided,the dehumidifying block 400 can move inside the dehumidifying housing300, and in some examples, the second path F12 is not stably maintainedso that the volume of any portion of the second path F12 can becomelarger or smaller. In this case, the pressure, speed, etc. of the airflowing through the second path F12 can fall outside of the expectedrange, and efficiency of dehumidifying air by the dehumidifying block400 and/or regenerating the dehumidifying material can be reduced.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view illustrating a pair of dehumidifyingblocks 400 shown in FIG. 11B.

FIG. 21A is a perspective view illustrating a first frame 440 separatedfrom the dehumidifying block 400 in FIG. 20, and FIG. 21B is a frontview illustrating the first frame 440 in FIG. 21A.

FIG. 22A is a cross-sectional view of a shoe care device 1, whichillustrates the flow of air around the first frame 440.

FIG. 22B is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a shoe care device 1

The first frame 440 can configure a front surface of the dehumidifyingblock 400 in the first direction X. The first frame 440 can beconfigured in the form of a relatively hard plate, and can include amaterial such as metal, synthetic resin, ceramic, carbon fiber, or thelike.

The first frame 440 can configure front surfaces of the ceiling part401, the first side wall 402, and the second side wall 403 in the firstdirection X.

The first frame 440 is coupled along the edges of an inner mesh 410 andan outer mesh 420. The inner mesh 410 and the outer mesh 420 can befixed to the first frame 440.

The inner mesh 410 and the outer mesh 420 are fixed to the first frame440 so that the overall structure of the dehumidifying block 400 can bestably maintained, and the state in which the dehumidifying block 400 isfilled with the dehumidifying material 430 can be stably maintained.

The first frame 440 can form a surface perpendicular to or inclined tothe first direction X. The first frame 440 can form a surface parallelto the second direction Y and the third direction Z.

The first frame 440 can be configured to include a block member 441 andan opening 442.

The block member 441 is a portion that forms a blocked surface without ahole through which air moves in the first frame 440. In addition, theopening 442 is a portion corresponding to the hole through which airpasses in the first frame 440.

The block member 441 configures a blocked surface to shield thedehumidifying material 430 in the first direction X. In particular, theblock member 441 is located closer to the inner mesh 410 than the outermesh 420 in the first direction X to form a blocked surface to shieldthe dehumidifying material 430.

The opening 442 configures a through-hole so as not to shield thedehumidifying material 430 in the first direction X. In particular, theopening 442 configures a through-hole on the side closer to the outermesh 420 than the inner mesh 410 so as not to shield the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 in the first direction X.

A plurality of openings 442 can be provided in the first frame 440, andthe openings 442 can be formed in all of the ceiling part 401, the firstside wall 402, and the second side wall 403.

The air in the connection path F10 flows into the inner space of thedehumidifying block 400 from the rear thereof in the first direction X,and passes through the dehumidifying block 400 while moving forward inthe first direction X.

Based on the first direction X, the pressure of the rear of the innerspace (the first path F11) of the dehumidifying block 400 is greatest,and the pressure can be reduced toward the front.

A significant portion of the air in the inner space (the first path F11)of the dehumidifying block 400 can move to pass through the rear portion(an area A) and the middle portion (an area B) of the dehumidifyingblock 400 in the first direction X.

Unlike the present disclosure, if it is assumed that the openings 442are not formed in the first frame 440, even if the air in the first pathF11 flows into the dehumidifying block 400 in the portions (an area Cand an area D) adjacent to the first frame 440, the air can flow veryweakly or can be stagnant, so that the dehumidifying material 430 in theportions (the area C and the area D) adjacent to the first frame 440 isunable to be utilized.

Unlike this, in the present disclosure, since the openings 442 areformed in the first frame 440, the air in the first path F11 can passthrough the dehumidifying block 400 through the openings 442, and thedehumidifying block 400 can be efficiently utilized in the foremostportions thereof (the area C and the area D) in the first direction X.

In particular, since the openings 442 are formed closer to the outermesh 420 than the inner mesh 410, the air in the inner portion (the areaC) can easily move to the outer portion (the area D), and thedehumidifying block 400 can be effectively utilized in all the foremostportions thereof (the area C and the area D) in the first direction X.

FIGS. 23, 24A, and 24B are perspective views respectively illustratingan example of a dehumidifying block 400. FIGS. 24C and 24D arecross-sectional views schematically illustrating an example of adehumidifying block 400 accommodated in a dehumidifying housing 300,respectively.

The dehumidifying block 400 can be configured to include a second frame450 and a third frame 460.

The dehumidifying block 400 can be configured to include a fourth frame470.

The second frame 450 can be configured to shield the inner space (afirst path F11) of the dehumidifying block 400 at the front thereof inthe first direction X.

The second frame 450 can configure a front surface of the dehumidifyingblock 400 in the first direction X. The second frame 450 can beconfigured in the form of a relatively hard plate, and can be formed ofmetal, synthetic resin, or the like.

The second frame 450 can be connected to the first frame 440. The secondframe 450 can be formed integrally with the first frame 440.

As the second frame 450 is formed in the dehumidifying block 400, theair in the first path F11 moves to pass through the dehumidifying block400, instead of directly moving forward in the first direction X.

The third frame 460 can be configured in the form of a flat plate, andcan be coupled to the outer mesh 420 of the dehumidifying block 400.

The third frame 460 can be coupled to the outer surface of the ceilingpart 401. In particular, the third frame 460 can be coupled to the outersurface of the ceiling part 401 so as to be closer to the rear thereofin the first direction X.

The third frame 460 can be formed at a position corresponding to thehousing inlet 311 in the vertical direction.

In the case where the third frame 460 is not formed, the air introducedinto the inner space (the first path F11) of the dehumidifying block 400in the upward direction through the housing inlet 311 can move mostrapidly to pass through the rear portion (the area A) of thedehumidifying block 400 in the first direction X.

In the case where the third frame 460 is formed, the air introduced intothe inner space (the first path F11) of the dehumidifying block 400through the housing inlet 311 can flow into the rear portion (the areaA) of the dehumidifying block 400 in the first direction X, and, in someexamples, can collide with the third frame 460 to move to the adjacentportion, that is, the middle portion (the area B) of the dehumidifyingblock 400 in the first direction X and then pass through thedehumidifying block 400.

As described above, in the case where the third frame 460 is formed inthe dehumidifying block 400, the air can sufficiently move to the middleportion (the area B) and the front portion (the area C and area D) ofthe dehumidifying block 400, as well as to the rear portion (the area A)of the dehumidifying block 400, in the first direction X, therebyenabling contact between the air and the dehumidifying material over theentire dehumidifying block 400 and effectively preventing some of thedehumidifying material from not being utilized.

The fourth frame 470 can configure a rear surface of the dehumidifyingblock 400 in the first direction X. The fourth frame 470 can beconfigured in the form of a relatively hard plate, and can be formed ofmetal, synthetic resin, or the like.

The fourth frame 470 can configure rear surfaces of the ceiling part401, the first side wall 402, and the second side wall 403 in the firstdirection X.

The fourth frame 470 is coupled along the edges of the inner mesh 410and the outer mesh 420. The inner mesh 410 and the outer mesh 420 can befixed to the fourth frame 470.

Since the inner mesh 410 and the outer mesh 420 are fixed to the fourthframe 470, the overall structure of the dehumidifying block 400 can bestably maintained.

The fourth frame 470 can be configured to shield the inner space 404(the first path F11) of the dehumidifying block 400 at the rear thereofin the first direction X (see FIG. 24B).

At least one of the first frame 440 and the fourth frame 470 can have aguide protrusion (the second guide protrusion 480) formed to protrudeoutwards and come into close contact with the inner surface of thedehumidifying housing 300, thereby supporting the same. That is, theabove-described second guide protrusion 480 can be formed in the firstframe 440 and/or the fourth frame 470.

A fixed protrusion 490 can be formed in at least one of the first frame440 and the fourth frame 470 so as to protrude outwards. The fixedprotrusion 490 can have a hemispherical shape. In addition, a fixedrecess 380 that is a concave portion to receive the fixed protrusion 490can be formed on the inner surface of the dehumidifying housing 300. Aplurality of fixed protrusions 490 and a plurality of fixed recesses 380can be provided, and the plurality of fixed protrusions 490 (or fixedrecesses 380) can be formed in the positions facing each other. Thefixed protrusion 490 and/or the fixed recess 380 can be made of anelastically deformable material. The protrusion height of the fixedprotrusion 490 and/or the depression depth of the fixed recess 380 canbe of several mm.

When the dehumidifying block 400 is accommodated and seated inside thedehumidifying housing 300, the fixed protrusion 490 is inserted into thefixed recess 380 to fix the dehumidifying block 400. Accordingly, thedehumidifying block 400 is prevented from moving inside thedehumidifying housing 300, and the second path F12 is stably maintained

The heater 710 can be configured to be fixed to the machine room 50, andthe dehumidifying block 400 can be configured to be replaceable.

The heater 710 can be configured as various devices and structureswithin a range capable of supplying heat to the dehumidifying material430.

The heater 710 can be configured as an electric heater. In someimplementations, the heater can include a heating element, and can beconfigured to supply heat to the surroundings while the heating elementemits heat by the supplied electric energy. The heater can include anichrome wire as a heating element.

The heater 710 can be configured to include a free end 711 and a fixedend 712.

The free end 711 can be formed along the first direction X. In theheater 710, the free end 711 is made of a heating element.

The fixed end 712 can be formed in a shape bent downwards from the freeend 711 at the front in the first direction X.

The fixed end 712 can be electrically connected to a power source, andas electric energy is supplied to the free end 711 through the fixed end712, the free end 711 can emit heat.

When the shoe care device 1 is viewed in the second direction Y, theheater 710 can be formed in a “¬” shape. In addition, since thedehumidifying block 400 is configured to include the ceiling part 401,the first side wall 402, and the second side wall 403, and has a “

” shape in its cross-section, when the dehumidifying block 400 is seatedinside the dehumidifying housing 300, the heater 710 is accommodated inthe first path F11 that is the inner space 404 of the dehumidifyingblock 400.

Accordingly, the shoe care device 1 can include the heater 710 that islocated in the inner space 404 of the dehumidifying block 400, where thedehumidifying block 400 can be easily attached and detached.

The shoe care device 1 can be configured to include a heater flange 720to which the heater 710 is fixed.

The heater flange 720 can be made of metal.

The heater flange 720 can be configured to include a horizontal plate721 and a vertical plate 722.

The horizontal plate 721 is configured in the form of a flat plate inthe horizontal direction. The horizontal plate 721 can be fixed to thehousing bottom plate 310 at the front in the first direction X.

In addition, the fixed end 712 of the heater 710 is fixed to thehorizontal plate 721 of the heater flange 720.

The vertical plate 722 of the heater flange 720 extends upwards from thehorizontal plate 721. The vertical plate 722 can be configured in a formbent from the horizontal plate 721. The vertical plate 722 can beconfigured to shield the inner space of the dehumidifying block 400. Thevertical plate 722 can be configured to shield or seal the first pathF11, which is the inner space 404 of the dehumidifying block 400, at thefront in the first direction X.

The vertical plate 722 can be configured to be in close contact with orclose to the front surface of the dehumidifying block 400 in the firstdirection X.

The vertical plate 722 can be spaced forward apart from the frontsurface of the dehumidifying block 400 in the first direction X to forma gap (g) between the vertical plate 722 and the dehumidifying block 400(see FIG. 22B). In this case, the gap (g) between the vertical plate 722and the dehumidifying block 400 can be configured to be very small. Inthe case where the dehumidifying block 400 is configured to include thefirst frame 440, the distance between the vertical plate 722 and thefirst frame 440 can be very small.

In some implementations, the distance between the vertical plate 722 andthe dehumidifying block 400 (or the first frame 440) can be in the rangeof 1/10 to 1/200 of the width of the first path F11 (the distancebetween the first side wall 402 and the second side wall 403). Forexample, the distance between the vertical plate 722 and thedehumidifying block 400 (or the first frame 440) can be about 1 mm orless. When the heater 710 is operated, the heater flange 720 can beheated, and the gap (g) can prevent the heat of the vertical plate 722from being directly transferred to the dehumidifying block 400(particularly, the first frame 440), thereby preventing damage to thefirst frame 440 due to heat. In addition, a small amount of air amongthe air in the first path F11 can escape through the gap, and thus, itcan be possible to help to prevent the pressure in the first path F11from excessively increasing to an unintended level.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view illustrating a shoe care device 1.

FIG. 26 is a perspective view illustrating the state in which a door 30is removed from the shoe care device 1 in FIG. 25 to show the insidethereof.

FIG. 27 is a perspective view illustrating the configurations providedin the machine room 50 in FIG. 28.

FIG. 28 is a view illustrating a bottom of an inner cabinet 40 of theshoe care device 1 in FIG. 26.

FIG. 29A is a view of a first wall 51 in a shoe care device 1 viewedfrom the front, and FIG. 29B is a view excluding the first wall 51 fromFIG. 29A.

The outlet 42 can be configured in the form of a long slot in the firstdirection X along the left edge of the cabinet bottom plate 45 or alongthe right edge of the cabinet bottom plate 45.

In addition, the inlet 43 can be formed along the rear edge of thecabinet bottom plate 45. That is, the inlet 43 can be located relativelyfar from the door 30 in the cabinet bottom plate 45.

The water supply tank 60 and the drain tank 70 can be disposed on bothsides of a reference plane RP parallel to the vertical direction andparallel to the first direction X.

The blowing duct 230 can be disposed on the reference plane RP.

FIGS. 30A and 30B are views illustrating a machine room 50 of the shoecare device 1 shown in FIG. 29B when viewed from opposite sides.

FIGS. 31A and 31B are cross-sectional views illustrating the shoe caredevice 1 shown in FIG. 25.

The machine room 50 can be configured to include a second wall 54 and athird wall 55. The second wall 54 and the third wall 55 configure bothwall surfaces facing each other in the machine room 50. The second wall54 and the third wall 55 can be erected in the vertical direction, orcan be erected in the substantially vertical direction.

In the case where the first wall 51 configures the front wall of themachine room 50, the second wall 54 can configure the left wall of themachine room 50, and the third wall 55 can configure the right wall ofthe machine room 50.

In some implementations, the condenser 800 can be in close contact withthe inner surface of the left or right wall of the machine room 50. Thatis, the condenser 800 can be in close contact with the inner surface ofthe second wall 54 or can be in close contact with the inner surface ofthe third wall 55.

The second wall 54 and the third wall 55 can be made of a metal havingexcellent thermal conductivity. In the case where the condenser 800 iscoupled to the second wall 54 to be in close contact therewith, thesecond wall 54 can be made of metal having excellent thermalconductivity, and in the case where the condenser 800 is coupled to thethird wall 55 to be in close contact therewith, the third wall 55 can bemade of a metal having excellent thermal conductivity.

Accordingly, condensing of water vapor moving through the condenser 800can be effectively performed.

FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the shoe care device 1shown in FIG. 26.

The blowing duct 230 can have a structure that is convex backwards inthe first direction X.

The blowing duct 230 can be configured to be located between the watersupply tank 60 and the drain tank 70 under the dehumidifying block 400.

Accordingly, the blowing duct 230 can be positioned in the rearmostportion of the machine room 50 in the first direction X, and thediameter of the blowing housing 225 can be configured as large aspossible, and furthermore, the diameter of the blowing fan 221 providedinside the blowing housing 225 can be configured to be large.

Therefore, it can be possible to provide the blower 220 having asufficiently large output, and to provide the blowing housing 225 havinga relatively large diameter even though the thickness thereof isrelatively small, and a sufficient amount of air moving the connectionpath F10 per unit time can be secured.

In addition, it can be possible to prevent occurrence of anunintentional path resistance when the air in the connection path F10passes through the dehumidifying block 400.

In addition, since the blowing duct 230 is positioned between the watersupply tank 60 and the drain tank 70 under the dehumidifying block 400,it can be possible to configure a shoe care device 1 having thefollowing structure.

As the length d1 of the dehumidifying block 400 and the first path F11becomes longer in the first direction X, the size of the dehumidifyingblock 400 and the size of the first path F11 can increase, and thedehumidifying capacity of the dehumidifying material per unit time canalso be improved.

Accordingly, the length of the dehumidifying block 400 and the firstpath F11 in the first direction X needs to be greater than or equal to apredetermined length.

In the case where the blowing duct 230 is located between the watersupply tank 60 and the drain tank 70, based on the first direction X,the inner surface of the rear end of the blowing duct 230 and/or theinner surface of the rear end of the blowing housing 225 can beconfigured to be located at the same position as the rear end of thefirst path F11 or further behind than the same while securing the lengthd1 of the dehumidifying block 400 and the first path F11 in the firstdirection X.

In this case, the air can naturally flow through the blowing housing225, the blowing duct 230, and the first path F11 in sequence, and theair in the first path F11 can effectively pass through the dehumidifyingblock 400 over the entire length d1 of the dehumidifying block 400 (thelength of the dehumidifying block 400 in the first direction X).

As described above, the blowing duct 230 can be divided into a lowerblowing duct 231 and an upper blowing duct 232.

Based on the first direction X, the width of the lower blowing duct 231can be configured to be greater than the width of the upper blowing duct232, and the rear end of the lower blowing duct 231 can be configured tobe located behind the rear end of the upper blowing duct 232.

In addition, the width of the blowing housing 225 can be configured tobe equal to or less than the width of the lower blowing duct 231 in thesecond direction Y.

Accordingly, even if the width of the blowing housing 225 is configuredto be small in the second direction Y, the air inside the blowinghousing 225 can be transferred into the blowing duct 230 at a stableflow rate. In addition, the air sequentially transferred into theblowing housing 225, the blowing duct 230, and the dehumidifying block400 (the first path F11) moves to correspond to the rotational directionof the blowing fan 221, thereby obtaining stable air flow in theconnection path F10.

FIGS. 33A and 33B are cross-sectional views respectively illustrating ashoe care device 1.

FIG. 33C is a cross-sectional perspective view illustrating adehumidifying housing 300 provided in the shoe care device 1 in FIGS.33A and 33B.

A replacement hole 52 can be formed in the first wall 51. Thereplacement hole 52 configures a through-hole in the first wall 51 suchthat the dehumidifying block 400 can be inserted or taken outtherethrough in a direction parallel to the first direction X.

The shoe care device 1 can be configured to include a replacement door53.

The replacement door 53 can be configured to open and close thereplacement hole 52. The replacement door 53 can be coupled to the firstwall 51 in various ways making it possible to open and close thereplacement hole 52.

The replacement door 53 can be slidably coupled to the machine room 50,or the replacement door 53 can be coupled to the machine room 50 by ahinge.

When the replacement door 53 is coupled to the machine room 50 by ahinge, the rotation axis of the replacement door 53 can be configured inthe horizontal direction, or can be configured in the verticaldirection.

In the case where a plurality of dehumidifying blocks 400 is provided, aplurality of replacement holes 52 and a plurality of replacement doors53 can be provided. In the case where a pair of dehumidifying blocks 400is provided, a pair of replacement holes 52 and a pair of replacementdoors 53 can also be provided.

A pair of dehumidifying blocks 400, a pair of replacement holes 52, anda pair of replacement doors 53 can be disposed on both sides of thereference plane RP, and can be disposed above the water supply tank 60and the drain tank 70.

In the case where the replacement hole 52 and the replacement door 53are provided in the shoe care device 1, a rear hole 321, which is athrough-hole through which the dehumidifying block 400 can move, isformed in the rear dehumidifying material wall 320 of the dehumidifyinghousing 300.

In some implementations, when the dehumidifying block 400 is insertedinto and drawn out of the shoe care device 1 in a direction parallel tothe first direction X, the dehumidifying block 400 can slide in thefirst direction X.

The dehumidifying housing 300 can have a stopper 385 formed thereon. Thestopper 385 can be formed to protrude inward from the inner surface ofthe dehumidifying housing 300. In some implementations, the stopper 385can be configured to protrude upwards from the housing bottom plate 310.The stopper 385 limits the movement of the dehumidifying block 400inserted into the dehumidifying housing 300 such that the dehumidifyingblock 400 moves only to a predetermined point in the first direction X.That is, the stopper 385 prevents continuous movement of thedehumidifying block 400 in the first direction X. In someimplementations, the stopper 385 can be configured such that thedehumidifying block 400 moves only to a predetermined point where thedehumidifying block 400 is spaced apart from the front dehumidifyingmaterial wall 330.

In the case where the replacement hole 52 and the replacement door 53are provided in the shoe care device 1, the aforementioned dehumidifyingmaterial cover 46 may not be provided. In this case, the distancebetween the cabinet bottom plate 45 and the dehumidifying block 400 canbe constantly maintained, and the second path F12 can be stablymaintained

In addition, when the dehumidifying block 400 is replaced in the shoecare device 1, the replacement hole 52 can be opened to replace thedehumidifying block 400, instead of opening the inner cabinet 40.

The shoe care device 1 can be configured to include an inner cabinet 40,an outlet 42, an inlet 43, an air supplier 10, and a controller 80.

The inner cabinet 40 has an accommodation space 41 formed to accommodateshoes, and the outlet 42 and the inlet 43 can be formed therein.

The outlet 42 is formed on one portion of the inside of the innercabinet 40 to suck the air from the accommodation space 41, and the airin the inner cabinet 40 can flow to the connection path F10 through theoutlet 42.

The inlet 43 can be formed on the opposite portion of the inside of theinner cabinet 40 to supply air to the accommodation space 41, and theair passing through the connection path F10 can flow back into the innercabinet 40 through the inlet 43.

The air supplier 10 blows the air in the accommodation space 41, and apair of dehumidifying materials 430 can be disposed to be separated fromeach other on the path of the blown air, and the pair of dehumidifyingmaterials 430 can be heated by the same.

In this case, as the dehumidifying material 430 is heated, the moistureadsorbed onto the dehumidifying material 430 is separated so that thedehumidifying material 430 can be regenerated into the state capable ofperforming a dehumidifying function.

In some examples, as shown in FIG. 34, the air supplier 10 can beconfigured to include a duct, a blower 220, a dehumidifying housing 300,a heater 710, a damper housing 520, and a damper 510, which are disposedinside the machine room 50.

In particular, in the air supplier 10, a connection path F10 throughwhich air circulates between the outlet 42 and the inlet 43 and aregeneration path F20 through which the air passing through thedehumidifying material 430 is blown to a portion other than the inlet 43can be formed to correspond to the respective dehumidifying materials430.

Accordingly, the air in the accommodation space 41 can be blown by theair supplier 10 to flow to the connection path F10 or the regenerationpath F20, respectively, while passing through the respective separateddehumidifying materials 430.

The controller 80 can control the air supplier 10 such that theconnection path F10 and the regeneration path F20 are selectively openedand closed depending on whether or not each dehumidifying material 430is heated.

That is, the connection path F10 and the regeneration path F20 can beselectively opened and closed by the controller 80 depending on whetheror not the dehumidifying material 430 is in the state of beingregenerated.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 can be disposed in the air supplier 10 to capture moistureand bacteria in the blown air, and the dehumidifying material 430 can beheated to regenerate in the air supplier 10, thereby adequatelymaintaining the performance for processing shoes.

In addition, in the shoe care device 1, since the connection path F10through which the air circulates is formed between the outlet 42 and theinlet 43 that are formed inside the inner cabinet 40, it can be possibleto help to prevent the user from being exposed to the air used indehumidification and deodorization of shoes.

In addition, in the shoe care device 1, a pair of dehumidifyingmaterials 430 can be disposed in the air supplier 10, and the connectionpath F10 and the regeneration path F20 can be respectively formed in thedehumidifying materials 430, and the connection path F10 and theregeneration path F20 can be selectively opened and closed according tothe need for a dehumidifying mode and a regeneration mode, so the shoecare device 1 can be operated in an optimal state depending on thesituation, thereby further improving the efficiency of processing shoes.

Specifically, in the shoe care device 1, the air supplier 10 can beconfigured to include a chamber 15, a heater 710, a drying path hole529, a regeneration path hole 527, and a damper 510, and can furtherinclude a condenser 800.

A pair of chambers 15 can be provided as separated spaces on theconnection path F10 to separately accommodate the respectivedehumidifying materials 430. This chamber 15 can be configured toinclude a portion of a dehumidifying housing 300 and a portion of adamper housing 520, as shown in FIG. 34.

The heater 710 can be installed in each chamber 15 to heat thedehumidifying material 430, and can be disposed in the connection pathF10 so as to be adjacent to the dehumidifying material 430.

The drying path hole 529 can be formed in each chamber 15 to dischargethe air passing through the dehumidifying material 430 toward the inlet43, and, as shown in FIG. 36, can be formed in the discharge duct 525 ofthe damper housing 520 to be opened and closed by the damper 510.

The regeneration path hole 527 can be formed in each chamber 15separately from the drying path hole 529 to discharge the air passingthrough the dehumidifying material 430 in a direction other than thedirection to the inlet 43, and, as shown in FIG. 35, can be formed onthe bottom surface of the damper housing 520 to be opened and closed bythe damper 510.

The damper 510 can be installed in each chamber 15 to selectively openand close the drying path hole 529 and the regeneration path hole 527,and can be installed in the damper housing 520 as shown in FIG. 35.

In this case, the controller 80 can control the damper 510 toselectively open and close the drying path hole 529 and the regenerationpath hole 527 depending on whether or not each heater 710 operates.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the air supplier 10includes the chamber 15, the heater 710, the drying path hole 529, theregeneration path hole 527, and the damper 510, the controller 80 cancontrol the damper 510 to selectively execute the dehumidifying mode andthe regeneration mode.

The condenser 800 can be connected to the regeneration path hole 527 andcondense moisture in the air discharged through the regeneration pathhole 527, and can constitute a part of the regeneration path F20 so thatthe condensate water condensed in the condenser 800 can flow through theregeneration path F20.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the air supplier 10further includes the condenser 800, it can be possible to condensemoisture generated during the regeneration process of the dehumidifyingmaterial 430.

The shoe care device 1 can further include a steam generator 600 forsupplying steam to the accommodation space 41.

That is, since steam can be supplied to the inner cabinet 40 to performsteam treatment on the shoes, it can be possible to exert the effect ofsterilization by the high temperature steam and the refreshing effect byinflating the material of the shoes.

Hereinafter, the module including a pair of dehumidifying material 430(the chamber, the dehumidifying material, the heater, the drying pathhole, the regeneration path hole, and the damper) will be described byconfiguring the same as a drying module A and a drying module B,respectively, in more detail with reference to FIG. 6.

First, the controller 80 can control the shoe care device 1 in a firstoperation mode in which while one dehumidifying material 430 is heated,the connection path F10 corresponding thereto is closed and theregeneration path F20 thereof is opened, and in which the connectionpath F10 corresponding to the remaining dehumidifying material 430 isopened and the regeneration path F20 thereof is closed.

In particular, the controller 80 can control the damper 510 such thatwhile one heater 710 is operating, the drying path hole 529corresponding thereto is closed and the regeneration path hole 527thereof is opened, and such that the drying path hole 529 correspondingto the remaining heater 710 is opened and the regeneration path hole 527thereof is closed.

That is, each of the drying module A and the drying module B can beindividually operated in a dehumidifying mode or a regeneration modedepending on the opening/closing direction of the damper 510 and whetheror not the heaters 710 operate.

As described above, in the case where the damper 510 opens the dryingpath hole 529 and closes the regeneration path hole 527 so that air isblown into the discharge duct 525, the corresponding drying module canbe operated in the dehumidifying mode. In this case, the heater 710 maynot be operated.

In some examples, in the case where the damper 510 closes the dryingpath hole 529 and opens only the regeneration path hole 527 so that airis blown into the regeneration path hole 527, the corresponding modulecan be operated in the regeneration mode. In this case, the heater 710needs to be operated to heat the dehumidifying material 430.

Accordingly, the optimization mode of the shoe care device 1 accordingto the situation will be described by way of example as follows.

First, even if the dehumidifying mode is implemented only in one of thedrying module A and the drying module B, moisture can be removed fromthe air, so control can be performed such that the drying module A is inthe dehumidifying mode and the drying module B is in the regenerationmode.

In some examples, the controller 80 can control the damper 510 of thedrying module A to open the drying path hole 529 and close theregeneration path hole 527. In addition, the controller 80 can controlthe damper 510 of the drying module B to close the drying path hole 529and open only the regeneration path hole 527. In addition, the heater710 of the drying module B can be controlled to operate.

Accordingly, some of the air inside the inner cabinet 40 can bedehumidified while passing through the drying module A, and thedehumidified air can pass through the damper 510 again to be resuppliedinto the inner cabinet 40.

At the same time, regeneration of the dehumidifying material 430 can beconducted in the drying module B, and the remaining portion of the airinside the inner cabinet 40 can flow to the condenser 800 together withthe moisture separated from the dehumidifying material 430 by passingthrough the drying module B, and then the moisture can be condensed.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since dehumidification isperformed through one dehumidifying material 430 among the pair ofdehumidifying materials 430, and since the one remaining dehumidifyingmaterial 430 is regenerated, the dehumidifying mode and the regenerationmode can be simultaneously performed in the shoe care device 1.

In this case, in the shoe care device 1, the controller 80 can controlthe first operation mode such that one dehumidifying material 430 andthe one remaining dehumidifying material 430 are alternately heated.

In particular, the controller 80 can perform control such that oneheater 710 and the remaining heater 710 are alternately operated.

That is, if dehumidification is performed in the drying module A and ifregeneration is performed in the drying module B through theabove-described process, moisture can be adsorbed onto the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 of the drying module A, thereby lowering thedehumidification efficiency over time.

Accordingly, when a predetermined state is established (after aconfigured time has elapsed or after measurement through a sensor,etc.), control can be performed such that the drying module A is in theregeneration mode and such that the drying module B is in thedehumidifying mode.

That is, the opening and closing directions of the dampers 510 and theoperation states of the heaters 710 of the drying module A and thedrying module B can be reversely controlled.

Accordingly, some of the air inside the inner cabinet 40 can bedehumidified while passing through the drying module B, and thedehumidified air can pass through the damper 510 again to be resuppliedinto the inner cabinet 40.

At the same time, regeneration of the dehumidifying material 430 can beconducted in the drying module A, and the remaining portion of the airinside the inner cabinet 40 can flow to the condenser 800 together withthe moisture separated from the dehumidifying material 430 by passingthrough the drying module A, and then the moisture can be condensed.

As described above, since the shoe care device 1 alternately performsdehumidification and regeneration by one of the pair of dehumidifyingmaterials 430 and the remaining one thereof, refreshing of shoes can beperformed continuously without interruption in the shoe care device 1.

In the shoe care device 1, the controller 80 can control distribution ofair in the first operation mode such that the amount of air blown to theheated dehumidifying material 430 is smaller than the amount of airblown to the unheated dehumidifying material 430.

In particular, the controller 80 can control distribution of air suchthat the amount of air blown into the chamber 15 in which the heater 710is operated is smaller than the amount of air blown into the chamber 15in which the heater 710 is not operated.

That is, the amount of air distributed from the inner cabinet 40 to thedrying module A and the drying module B can be controlled to bedifferent from each other. In particular, since a larger amount of aircan be supplied in the dehumidifying mode, the amount of air supplied tothe drying module in the dehumidifying mode can be controlled to belarger than the amount of air supplied to the drying module in theregeneration mode.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the amount of airblown to any one dehumidifying material 430 that performsdehumidification is larger than the amount of air blown to the oneremaining dehumidifying material 430 that is regenerated, it can bepossible to help to prevent the dehumidification efficiency from beinglowered even during regeneration.

In this case, in the shoe care device 1, the open area of theregeneration path hole 527 can be configured to be smaller than the openarea of the drying path hole 529.

That is, even if the amount of distributed air is not separatelycontrolled by the controller 80, as described above, the size of theregeneration path hole 527 can be configured to be relatively smallcompared to the open area of the drying path hole 529, so that theamount of air supplied to the drying module in the dehumidifying modecan be larger than the amount of air supplied to the drying module inthe regeneration mode.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the open area ofthe regeneration path hole 527 is configured to be smaller than the openarea of the drying path hole 529, it can be possible to help to preventthe dehumidification efficiency from being lowered during regenerationeven though the amount of distributed air is not separately controlledby the controller 80.

In some examples, more powerful dehumidification can be provided becausea large amount of moisture is contained in the shoes accommodated insidethe inner cabinet 40.

Accordingly, the controller 80 can control the shoe care device 1 in asecond operation mode in which all the connection paths F10 are openedand in which all the regeneration paths F20 are closed in the state inwhich all of the pair of dehumidifying materials 430 are not heated.

In particular, the controller 80 can control the damper 510 such thatall the drying path holes 529 are opened and such that all theregeneration path holes 527 are closed while all the heaters 710 are notoperated.

That is, the controller 80 can control the dampers 510 to open thedrying path hole 529 and close the regeneration path hole 527 both inthe drying module A and in the drying module B.

Accordingly, the air inside the inner cabinet 40 can pass through boththe drying module A and the drying module B to be dehumidified. Inaddition, the dehumidified air can be supplied back to the inner cabinet40 to refresh the shoes more quickly.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since dehumidificationcan be simultaneously performed through all of the pair of dehumidifyingmaterials 430, the shoe care device 1 can refresh the shoes morequickly.

In some examples, the dehumidifying materials 430 of both the dryingmodule A and the drying module B can deteriorate in the dehumidifyingfunction thereof depending on the long-term use of the dehumidifyingmaterials 430, the external environment, and the like.

Accordingly, the controller 80 can control the shoe care device 1 in athird operation mode in which all the connection paths F10 are closedand in which all the regeneration paths F20 are opened in the state inwhich all of the pair of dehumidifying materials 430 are heated.

In particular, the controller 80 can control the damper 510 such thatall the drying path holes 529 are closed and such that all theregeneration path holes 527 are opened while all the heaters 710 areoperated.

That is, the controller 80 can control the dampers 510 such that thedrying path holes 529 are closed and such that only the regenerationpath holes 527 are opened both in the drying module A and in the dryingmodule B. In addition, the heaters 710 of both the drying module A andthe drying module B can be controlled to operate.

Accordingly, regeneration of the dehumidifying material 430 can beperformed both in the drying module A and in the drying module B, and ifa predetermined state is obtained (after a configured time has elapsedor after measurement through a sensor, etc.), the drying module A andthe drying module B can switch to the dehumidifying mode.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since regeneration can besimultaneously performed on all of the pair of dehumidifying materials430, the dehumidifying materials 430 can remain in the state suitablefor dehumidification in the shoe care device 1.

The shoe care device 1 can further include a control panel 33 to whichan operation signal can be input by a user, and if an operation signalis input to the control panel 33, the controller 80 can perform controlsuch that the third operation mode is conducted for a configured time.

In particular, if an operation signal is input to the control panel 33,the controller 80 can control all the heaters 710 to be operated for aconfigured time.

In this case, the situation in which an operation signal is input to thecontrol panel 33 can be the case in which the user inputs a command touse the shoe care device 1 after an idle period in which the shoe caredevice 1 is not operated for a predetermined time.

Accordingly, since the shoe care device 1 regenerates all thedehumidifying materials 430 for a configured time during the initialoperation after the idle period, the dehumidifying materials 430 canremain in the state suitable for dehumidification prior to the operationof the shoe care device 1 for refreshing shoes.

In addition, the shoe care device 1 can further include a sensor unit 90capable of measuring the amount of moisture adsorbed onto thedehumidifying material 430, and the controller 80 can perform controlsuch that the third operation mode is performed until the amount ofmoisture measured by the sensor unit 90 becomes less than or equal to aconfigured value.

In particular, the controller 80 can control all the heaters 710 tooperate until the amount of moisture measured by the sensor unit 90becomes less than or equal to a configured value.

In this case, the sensor unit 90 can include a moisture sensor that isinstalled adjacent to the dehumidifying material 430 and measures theamount of moisture adsorbed onto the dehumidifying material 430 as shownin FIG. 6, and the type and number thereof can be configured in variousways.

As described above, if it is detected that the amount of moistureadsorbed onto the dehumidifying material 430 exceeds a reference value,the shoe care device 1 can regenerate all the dehumidifying materials430 until the amount of moisture becomes less than or equal to thereference value, thereby maintaining the dehumidifying material 430 inan appropriate state for dehumidification even during the operation ofthe shoe care device 1 for refreshing shoes.

The shoe care device 1 can be configured to include an inner cabinet 40,an outlet 42, an inlet 43, a connection path F10, a blowing fan 221, aheater 710, and a regeneration path F20.

The connection path F10 is a portion in which air circulates between theoutlet 42 and the inlet 43 so that the outlet 42 configures the entranceto the connection path F10 and the inlet 43 configures the exit of theconnection path F10.

That is, the connection path F10 can be an air path through which theair is sucked into the air supplier 10 from the inside of the innercabinet 40, blown to be dehumidified by passing through thedehumidifying material 430, and then supplied back to the inside of theinner cabinet 40.

The blowing fan 221 can be installed on the connection path F10 to blowair from the outlet 42 to the inlet 43. The air can be sucked from theinner cabinet 40 by the operation of the blowing fan 221, and the suckedair can be blown through the connection path F10.

The regeneration path F20 can be a portion through which the air passingthrough the dehumidifying material 430 is blown to a portion other thanthe inlet 43 while the dehumidifying material 430 is being heated, andcan branch off from the connection path F10 to form a path through whichthe air passing through the dehumidifying material 430 and/or condensatewater flows.

That is, the regeneration path F20 can be a path through which air movesin the process of heating and regenerating the dehumidifying material430 when the dehumidifying function is not effectively performed due toexcessive moisture adsorbed onto the dehumidifying material 430.

Dehumidification of the air is not performed while the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 is being regenerated. On the contrary, moisture separatedfrom the dehumidifying material 430 in the regeneration process iscontained in the air passing through the dehumidifying material 430,resulting in higher humidity.

Therefore, it is inappropriate to supply air with high humidity back tothe inner cabinet 40, so the air can be blown to the regeneration pathF20 separated from the connection path F10.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, the connection path F10and the regeneration path F20 through which air flows can be provided inthe shoe care device 1, and the air passing through the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 moves to the regeneration path F20 while the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 is being heated, so that the air can flow through the mostefficient path depending on the dehumidifying mode and the regenerationmode.

The shoe care device 1 can further include a dehumidifying housing 300disposed on the connection path F10 and having the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 accommodated therein and the heater 710 installed therein.

Specifically, the inner space of the dehumidifying housing 300 canconfigure a portion of the connection path F10, and the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 can be located inside the dehumidifying housing 300. Inthis case, the heater 710 can be disposed in the connection path F10 tobe adjacent to the dehumidifying material 430, thereby heating thedehumidifying material 430.

As described above, since the shoe care device 1 further includes thedehumidifying housing 300 in which the dehumidifying material 430 isaccommodated, the dehumidifying material 430 can be stably accommodatedto appropriately execute a function thereof.

The shoe care device 1 can further include a suction duct 210 connectedbetween the outlet 42 and the blowing fan 221 to guide the blown air anda blowing duct 230 connected between the blowing fan 221 and thedehumidifying housing 300 to guide the blown air.

Specifically, the suction duct 210 can configure a portion of theconnection path F10, and the suction duct 210 can be connected to theoutlet 42 to suck air from the inner cabinet 40.

The blowing duct 230 can be connected to one side of the dehumidifyinghousing 300 accommodating the dehumidifying material 430 so that the airblown through the blowing duct 230 can come into contact with thedehumidifying material 430.

As described above, since the shoe care device 1 further includes thesuction duct 210 and the blowing duct 230, the air can stably andeffectively flow between the outlet 42 and the dehumidifying housing300.

The shoe care device 1 can further include a damper housing 520 that isconnected between the dehumidifying housing 300 and the inlet 43 toguide the blown air.

Specifically, dry air blown into the damper housing 520 can flow backinto the inner cabinet 40 through the inlet 43 to refresh the shoes.

As described above, since the shoe care device 1 further includes thedamper housing 520 installed between the dehumidifying housing 300 andthe inlet 43, the air can stably and effectively flow between thedehumidifying housing 300 and the inlet 43.

In the shoe care device 1, the damper housing 520 can include a dryingpath hole 529 formed to discharge the air passing through thedehumidifying material 430 toward the inlet 43 and a regeneration pathhole 527 formed to discharge the air passing through the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 in a direction other than the direction to the inlet 43.

Specifically, the drying path hole 529 can be formed in the damperhousing 520 to discharge the air passing through the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 toward the inlet 43, and, as shown in FIG. 36, can beformed in a portion of the discharge duct 525 of the damper housing 520to be opened and closed by the damper 510.

The regeneration path hole 527 can be formed in the damper housing 520separately from the drying path hole 529 to discharge the air passingthrough the dehumidifying material 430 in a direction other than thedirection to the inlet 43, and, as shown in FIG. 35, can be formed onthe bottom surface of the damper housing 520 to be opened and closed bythe damper 510.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the damper housing520 includes the drying path hole 529 and the regeneration path hole527, the connection path F10 and regeneration path F20 can be properlyseparated based on the damper housing 520.

The shoe care device 1 can further include a damper 510 installed on thedamper housing 520 to selectively open and close the drying path hole529 and the regeneration path hole 527.

Specifically, the damper 510 can be installed on the air blowing path toselectively open and close the drying path hole 529 and the regenerationpath hole 527, and, as shown in FIG. 35, can be installed in the damperhousing 520.

As described above, since the shoe care device 1 further includes thedamper 510 installed in the damper housing 520, it can be possible toselectively perform a dehumidifying mode or a regeneration mode bycontrolling the damper 510.

In this case, the damper 510 can close the drying path hole 529 and openthe regeneration path hole 527 when the dehumidifying material 430 isheated. That is, when the dehumidifying material 430 is heat forregeneration thereof, the air passing through the dehumidifying material430 can be discharged together with the moisture separated from thedehumidifying material 430 through the regeneration path hole 527.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, when the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 is regenerated, the damper 510 can close the drying pathhole 529 and open the regeneration path hole 527, so that the moistureseparated from the dehumidifying material 430 can be discharged throughthe regeneration path F20.

The shoe care device 1 can further include a condenser 800 that isconnected to the regeneration path hole 527 and condenses moisture inthe air discharged through the regeneration path hole 527.

That is, the condenser 800 can be connected to the regeneration pathhole 527 to configure a portion of the regeneration path F20, andcondensate water condensed in the condenser 800 can flow through theregeneration path F20.

As described above, since the shoe care device 1 further includes thecondenser 800 connected to the regeneration path hole 527, the moisturegenerated during the regeneration process of the dehumidifying material430 can be condensed.

In the shoe care device 1, the condenser 800 can be disposed at a lowerposition than the regeneration path hole 527.

That is, since the regeneration path F20 is formed such that the heightthereof is gradually reduced from the regeneration path hole 527 to thecondenser 800, the condensate water can be smoothly discharged along theslope between the regeneration path hole 527 and the condenser 800.

In the shoe care device 1, the suction duct 210 can include a sump hole215 that is connected to the condenser 800 and is formed such that theair passing through the condenser 800 is introduced thereinto.

That is, since the air passing through the condenser 800 is reintroducedinto the suction duct 210 through the sump hole 215 formed in thesuction duct 210, the regeneration path F20 can also have an aircirculation structure.

In the shoe care device 1, the sump hole 215 can be disposed at a lowerposition than the condenser 800.

That is, since the regeneration path F20 is formed such that the heightthereof is gradually reduced from the condenser 800 to the sump hole215, the condensate water can be smoothly discharged along the slopebetween the condenser 800 and the sump hole 215.

In the shoe care device 1, the suction duct 210 can have a sump 214formed therein to collect condensate water under the sump hole 215.

That is, since condensate water in the air reintroduced into the suctionduct 210 through the sump hole 215 is collected in the sump 214 in thelower portion of the suction duct 210, it can be possible to easilyseparate the moisture from the air passing through the regeneration pathF20 and discharge the same.

In the shoe care device 1, a pair of dehumidifying materials 430 can bedisposed to be separate on the branching connection paths F10, and theheater 710 can be installed to heat each of the pair of dehumidifyingmaterials 430.

That is, since a pair of dehumidifying materials 430 is disposed insidethe shoe care device 1 and since the connection path F10 and theregeneration path F20 are provided in each dehumidifying material 430,the shoe care device 1 can be operated in an optimal state depending onthe situation, thereby further improving the efficiency of processingthe shoes.

In this case, the shoe care device 1 can further include a dehumidifyinghousing 300 that is disposed on the connection path F10 to separatelyaccommodate the respective dehumidifying materials 430 and has heaters710 installed therein, and a damper housing 520 connected between thedehumidifying housing 300 and the inlet 43 to guide the blown air.

In addition, the damper housing 520 can include a pair of drying pathholes 529 formed to discharge the air passing through each dehumidifyingmaterial 430 toward the inlet 43 and a pair of regeneration path holes527 formed to discharge the air passing through each dehumidifyingmaterial 430 in a direction other than the direction to the inlet 43.

In addition, the shoe care device 1 can further include a damper 510installed in the damper housing 520 to selectively open and close thedrying path hole 529 and the regeneration path hole 527 corresponding toeach dehumidifying material 430.

In addition, the shoe care device 1 can further include a condenser 800that is connected to the pair of regeneration path holes 527 to condensemoisture in the air discharged through the regeneration path holes 527.

The shoe care device 1 can be configure to include an inner cabinet 40,an outlet 42, an inlet 43, and an air supplier 10.

The air supplier 10 can be disposed in the lower portion of the innercabinet 40 to blow the air in the accommodation space 41, and aconnection path F10 through which the air circulates is formed betweenthe outlet 42 and the inlet 43, and a dehumidifying material 430 can beinstalled on the connection path F10.

In this case, the dehumidifying material 430 can be disposed on theupper end of the air supplier 10 so that the upper surface of thedehumidifying material 430 can be exposed through the bottom of theinner cabinet 40. That is, in the state in which the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 is disposed in the upper portion of the machine room 50,the upper surface of the dehumidifying material 430 can be positioned onthe bottom of the inner cabinet 40.

Specifically, as described above, since the dry air and steam suppliedto the accommodation space 41 of the inner cabinet 40 tend to rise, themachine room 50 can be located in the lower portion of the inner cabinet40.

In addition, since dehumidification of the air can be performed throughthe air supplier 10 disposed inside the machine room 50, thedehumidifying material 430 also needs to be disposed inside the machineroom 50.

In addition, in the case where the moisture separated from thedehumidifying material 430 is separately discharged through theregeneration path F20 when the dehumidifying material 430 isregenerated, it can be effective for movement of condensate waterwithout a separate pressurization transfer that the moisture movesdownwards by its own weight.

In some examples, where the dehumidifying material 430 is disposed inthe machine room 50, for condensing efficiency, the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 can be disposed in the uppermost portion of the machineroom 50.

However, as the process of adsorbing moisture in the air and separatingthe moisture through regeneration is repeated, the performance of thedehumidifying material 430 can gradually deteriorate, and thedehumidifying material 430 can give off a bad odor, as well asdegradation of the performance, due to contamination by foreignsubstances.

In some examples, where the dehumidifying material 430 is configured tobe replaceable, the user can configure the dehumidifying material 430 tobe easily replaced without the help of an expert in the process of usingthe shoe care device 1.

In this case, if the dehumidifying material 430 is simply placed insidethe machine room 50, the user needs to open the machine room 50 forreplacement of the dehumidifying material 430. However, the machine room50 has a relatively complicated structure therein, and it can be verydifficult for a non-expert user to handle respective configurationsinside the machine room 50.

Accordingly, in order for the user to easily replace the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 without opening the machine room 50, the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 can be replaced through the inner cabinet 40 that has arelatively simple structure therein.

That is, if the upper surface of the dehumidifying material 430 disposedinside the machine room 50 is exposed through the bottom of the innercabinet 40, the user can easily replace the dehumidifying material 430without opening the machine room 50.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 is disposed in the upper portion of the air supplier 10 sothat the upper surface of the dehumidifying material 430 is exposedthrough the bottom of the inner cabinet 40, the function of thedehumidifying material 430 can be effectively executed, and theinspection and replacement of the dehumidifying material 430 can beeasy.

In the shoe care device 1, the inner cabinet 40 can include a cabinetbottom plate 45 defining a bottom surface of the accommodation space 41,and the cabinet bottom plate 45 can be opened to correspond to theplanar shape of the dehumidifying material 430.

That is, an opening having a size corresponding to the planar shape ofthe dehumidifying material 430 can be formed in the cabinet bottom plate45 to solve the problem with an opening that is too large or small touse.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the inner cabinet40 includes a cabinet bottom plate 45 that is opened to correspond tothe planar shape of the dehumidifying material 430, an appropriateopening for inspection and replacement of the dehumidifying material 430can be formed.

In the shoe care device 1, the dehumidifying material 430 can beinstalled to be replaceable through the open portion of the cabinetbottom plate 45. That is, the dehumidifying material 430 can be insertedinto or drawn out of the machine room 50 through the open portion of thecabinet bottom plate 45.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 can be replaced through the open portion of the cabinetbottom plate 45, the user can easily replace the dehumidifying material430 without opening the machine room 50.

In the shoe care device 1, the inner cabinet 40 can further include adehumidifying material cover 46 installed to open and close the openportion of the cabinet bottom plate 45.

That is, the dehumidifying material cover 46 can configure a portion ofthe cabinet bottom plate 45, which is the bottom of the inner cabinet40, and the dehumidifying material cover 46 can be attached to anddetached from the cabinet bottom plate 45 of the inner cabinet 40.

As described above, since the shoe care device 1 further includes thedehumidifying material cover 46 installed in the open portion of thecabinet bottom plate 45 of the inner cabinet 40, the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 may not be exposed through the bottom of the inner cabinet40 when the dehumidifying material 430 is not replaced.

In the shoe care device 1, the air supplier 10 can include adehumidifying housing 300 disposed in the upper portion thereof toaccommodate the dehumidifying material 430, and the dehumidifyingmaterial cover 46 can be coupled to the upper surface of thedehumidifying housing 300.

That is, when the dehumidifying material cover 46 is removed from thecabinet bottom plate 45, the dehumidifying housing 300 positioned belowthe same can be exposed so that the dehumidifying material 430 can beplaced inside or separated from the dehumidifying housing 300.

As described above, since the shoe care device 1 includes thedehumidifying housing 300 and since the dehumidifying material cover 46can be coupled to the upper surface of the dehumidifying housing 300,the dehumidifying material 430 can be stably accommodated to properlyimplement its function.

In the shoe care device 1, the transverse cross-sectional area of thedehumidifying housing 300 can be greater than the longitudinalcross-sectional area thereof

In order to minimize interference of the dehumidifying material 430 andthe dehumidifying housing 300 for accommodating the same with otherelements inside the machine room 50, the dehumidifying material 430 andthe dehumidifying housing 300 for accommodating the same can be widelydisposed in the transverse direction in the uppermost portion of themachine room 50.

If the dehumidifying housing 300 is disposed long in the longitudinaldirection, the remaining elements inside the machine room 50 can bedisposed to avoid the dehumidifying housing 300, which can make thestructure thereof more complicated and undesirable.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the dehumidifyinghousing 300 is widely disposed in the transverse direction, it can bepossible to minimize interference between the dehumidifying housing 300and other elements inside the machine room 50.

In the shoe care device 1, the air supplier 10 can have a regenerationpath F20, further including a heater 710 installed in the dehumidifyinghousing 300 to heat the dehumidifying material 430, through which theair passing through the dehumidifying material 430 is blown to a portionother than the inlet 43 while the dehumidifying material 430 is beingheated.

As described above, since the air has relatively high humidity while thedehumidifying material 430 is being regenerated, the air can be blown tothe regeneration path F20 separated from the connection path F10,instead of being supplied back to the inner cabinet 40.

As described above, since the shoe care device 1 can heat thedehumidifying material 430 using the heater 710 and since theregeneration path F20 through which air flows according thereto can beprovided, it can be possible to help to prevent the air from moving intothe inner cabinet 40 in the regeneration mode.

In the shoe care device 1, a pair of dehumidifying materials 430 can bedisposed to be separate on the branching connection paths F10.

In this case, the air supplier 10 can have a regeneration path F20,including a dehumidifying housing 300 disposed in the upper portion toseparately accommodate the respective dehumidifying materials 430 andheater 710 installed in the dehumidifying housing 300 to heat each ofthe pair of dehumidifying materials 430, through which the air passingthrough the dehumidifying material 430 is blown to a portion other thanthe inlet 43 while the dehumidifying material 430 is being heated.

The shoe care device 1 can be configured to include an inner cabinet 40,an outlet 42, an inlet 43, a connection path F10, a blowing fan 221, anda dehumidifying material 430.

In this case, the outlet 42 and the inlet 43 can be disposed so as notto face each other on the inner plane of the inner cabinet 40.

Specifically, in consideration of only the air circulation efficiency,it can be advantageous that the outlet 42 and the inlet 43 formed on thebottom surface of the inner cabinet 40 are disposed side by side on aplane.

Accordingly, in the case of a clothing care device that mainly processesclothes, an inlet and an outlet can be disposed side by side on a plane.

However, in the case of the shoe care device 1 that mainly processesshoes, since the inner space of the inner cabinet 40 is smaller thanthat of the clothing care device, the outlet 42 and the inlet 43 may notbe disposed side by side on a plane.

In some cases, considering the dehumidifying efficiency by thedehumidifying material 430 in the shoe care device 1, it can bedisadvantageous that the outlet 42 and the inlet 43 are disposed side byside on a plane.

In this regard, in order to improve the dehumidifying efficiency by thedehumidifying material 430, the shoe care device can allow themoisture-containing air to contact and collide with the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 on the longest possible path.

Therefore, the dehumidifying material 430 needs to be formed as thin aspossible to maximize the cross-sectional area and minimize pathresistance thereof. In some examples, the dehumidifying material 430 canhave an elongated shape extending along the movement path of air.

In some examples, a long dehumidifying material 430 can be disposed in ashape capable of connecting the housing inlet 311 formed on one side ofthe dehumidifying housing 300 and the housing outlet 331 formed on theopposite side thereof.

In this case, if the outlet 42 and the inlet 43 are disposed side byside on a plane, and if the dehumidifying material 430 is disposed inthe longitudinal direction to connect the outlet 42 and the inlet 43,the length of the dehumidifying material 430 can become smaller, therebylowering the dehumidifying efficiency.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the outlet 42 andthe inlet 43 are disposed so as not to face each other on the innerplane of the inner cabinet 40, the dehumidifying efficiency of thedehumidifying material 430 can be further improved.

In the shoe care device 1, the dehumidifying material 430 can bedisposed in a shape extending along the first direction X on the planeof the dehumidifying housing 300, and the air can be blown in the firstdirection X on the connection path F10.

As described above, for dehumidifying efficiency, the air can come intocontact and collide with the dehumidifying material 430 on the longestpossible path. Accordingly, in some examples, the air can be blown alongthe extended longitudinal direction of the dehumidifying material 430.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 is disposed to extend in one direction and since the air isblown along the extension direction of the dehumidifying material 430,the air can come into contact and collide with the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 on the longest possible path.

In the shoe care device 1, any one of the outlet 42 and the inlet 43 canbe disposed at one end of the dehumidifying material 430 in the firstdirection X, and the remaining one of the outlet 42 and the inlet 43 canbe disposed on the side of the dehumidifying material 430 in the firstdirection X.

If the outlet 42 and the inlet 43 are disposed side by side on a planeand if the dehumidifying material 430 is disposed in the longitudinaldirection parallel to the connection direction of the outlet 42 and theinlet 43, the air blowing path can become relatively complicated,thereby reducing the dehumidification efficiency as well.

That is, in this case, the suction duct 210 and the discharge duct 525are disposed at one end and the opposite end of the dehumidifyingmaterial 430, so the blowing duct 230 may not be disposed to beconnected to one end of the dehumidifying material 430.

In particular, the arrangement of the machine room 50 may be difficultbecause the arrangement of the damper housing 520 can be difficult andbecause the structure can become complicated.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the outlet 42 isdisposed on any one of the one end and the side of the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 and since the inlet 43 is disposed on the remaining onethereof, it can be possible to relatively simplify the air blowing pathand enable appropriate arrangement of the machine room 50 accordingthereto.

In the shoe care device 1, the inlet 43 can be disposed at the rear endof the dehumidifying material 430 in the first direction X, and theoutlet 42 can be disposed on the side of the dehumidifying material 430in the first direction X.

As described above, in the case where any one of the outlet 42 and theinlet 43 is to be disposed at one end of the dehumidifying material 430in the first direction X and where the remaining one of the outlet 42and the inlet 43 is to be disposed on the side of the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 in the first direction X, the inlet 43 can be disposed atthe rear end of the dehumidifying material 430 in the first direction Xin consideration of air circulation efficiency.

The circulated air can flow smoothly only if the air passing through thedehumidifying material 430 quickly flows into the inner cabinet 40.

Therefore, the inlet 43 can be disposed at the rear end of thedehumidifying material 430, so that the air passing through thedehumidifying material 430 can quickly flow into the inner cabinet 40when blowing air along the extended longitudinal direction of thedehumidifying material 430.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the inlet 43 isdisposed at the rear end of the dehumidifying material 430 and since theoutlet 42 is disposed on the side of the dehumidifying material 430, thedischarge pressure of air can be appropriately maintained in the inlet43.

In the shoe care device 1, the first direction X can indicate thedirection in which both sides of the inner cabinet 40 are connected, andthe outlet 42 can be disposed on the side of the dehumidifying material430 corresponding to the front portion of the inner cabinet 40.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the outlet 42 can be disposed onthe front portion of the inner cabinet 40.

In the process of using the shoe care device 1, condensate water canalso be generated inside the inner cabinet 40, and this condensate watercan flow down along the inner surfaces of the inner cabinet 40 to gatheron the bottom surface of the inner cabinet 40.

If the condensate water gathered above can leak to the outside of theinner cabinet 40, the user can feel inconvenience, causing problems inusability.

In particular, since the door 30 is installed in the front portion ofthe inner cabinet 40, the shoe case device can be configured to help toprevent leakage of condensate water through the gap of the door 30.

Accordingly, in the shoe care device 1, since the outlet 42 is disposedin the front portion of the inner cabinet 40, the condensate watercondensed inside the inner cabinet 40 can be discharged through theoutlet 42, instead of leaking to the outside.

In the shoe care device 1, a pair of dehumidifying materials 430 can bedisposed on the connection path F10, and the dehumidifying housing 300can accommodate the pair of dehumidifying materials 430 to be separatedfrom each other and to respectively extend along the first direction X.

In this case, the shoe care device 1 can further include a damperhousing 520 connected between the dehumidifying housing 300 and theinlet 43 to guide the blown air, and the damper housing 520 can have apair of drying path holes 529 each formed to discharge the air passingthrough each dehumidifying material 430 to the inlet 43.

In addition, the inlet 43 can be connected to the pair of drying pathholes 529 to supply the blown air to the accommodation space 41.

The shoe care device 1 can be configured to include an inner cabinet 40,an outlet 42, an inlet 43, a connection path F10, a blowing fan 221, adehumidifying material 430, and a dehumidifying housing 300.

In this case, the dehumidifying material 430 can be disposed to extendalong the first direction X on the plane of the dehumidifying housing300, and air can be blown in the first direction X on the connectionpath F10.

Specifically, the dehumidifying material 430 can be accommodated in thedehumidifying housing 300. That is, the dehumidifying housing 300 can beinstalled in the upper portion of the machine room 50, and thedehumidifying material 430 can be accommodated in the dehumidifyinghousing 300, thereby executing dehumidification and regenerationfunctions.

In particular, as described above, in order to optimize the dispositionof the dehumidifying material 430, the dehumidifying housing 300 canalso be located at the bottom of the inner cabinet 40. In addition, thedehumidifying material cover 46 can be coupled to the upper surface ofthe dehumidifying housing 300 to cover the dehumidifying material 430.

In some implementations, a portion of the dehumidifying housing 300, inwhich the dehumidifying material 430 is accommodated, can be widelydisposed in the transverse direction in the uppermost portion of themachine room 50.

One side of the dehumidifying housing 300 accommodating thedehumidifying material 430 can be connected to the blowing duct 230 tosupply air toward the dehumidifying material 430.

In addition, the air supplied to the inside of the dehumidifying housing300 can come into contact with the dehumidifying material 430, and canthen be blown toward the connection path F10 or the regeneration pathF20. In some examples, the opposite side of the dehumidifying housing300 can be connected to the damper housing 520 so that the air passingthrough the inside can be blown toward the damper housing 520.

In some implementations, for dehumidifying efficiency, the air can comeinto contact and collide with the dehumidifying material 430 on thelongest possible path. Accordingly, the air can be blown along theextended longitudinal direction of the dehumidifying material 430.

In some implementations, the dehumidifying material 430 can beaccommodated in the dehumidifying housing 300 so as to extend along onedirection on the plane, and the air can be blown in the extensiondirection of the dehumidifying material 430, so the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 can be stably accommodated to properly implement thefunction thereof.

In some implementations, the dehumidifying housing 300 can include ahousing inlet 311, formed at the rear in the first direction X, to whichthe blowing duct 230 is coupled and a housing outlet 331, formed at thefront in the first direction X, to which the damper housing 520 iscoupled.

In order to allow the air passing through the interior of thedehumidifying housing 300 to further come into contact and collide withthe dehumidifying material 430, the air movement path inside thedehumidifying housing 300 can be maximized.

Accordingly, the housing inlet 311 and the housing outlet 331 can bedisposed on opposite sides on the plane of the dehumidifying housing300.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the dehumidifyinghousing 300 includes the housing inlet 311 and the housing outlet 331,the air can stably and effectively pass through the interior of thedehumidifying housing 300 accommodating the dehumidifying material 430.

In the shoe care device 1, the dehumidifying housing 300 can furtherinclude a housing bottom plate 310 configuring a bottom surface, a reardehumidifying material wall 320 configuring a rear surface in the firstdirection X, a front dehumidifying material wall 330 configuring a frontsurface in the first direction X, and left dehumidifying material walls340 a and 340 b and right dehumidifying material walls 350 a and 350 bconfiguring side surfaces connected between the rear dehumidifyingmaterial wall 320 and the front dehumidifying material wall 330.

The rear dehumidifying material wall 320, the front dehumidifyingmaterial wall 330, the left dehumidifying material walls 340 a and 340b, and the right dehumidifying material walls 350 a and 350 b canconfigure wall surfaces erected in the vertical direction, respectively.Based on the first direction X, the rear dehumidifying material wall 320can configure a rear wall surface, the front dehumidifying material wall330 can configure a front wall surface, the left dehumidifying materialwalls 340 a and 340 b can configure left wall surfaces, and the rightdehumidifying material walls 350 a and 350 b can configure right wallsurfaces in the dehumidifying housing 300.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the dehumidifyinghousing 300 further includes the housing bottom plate 310, the reardehumidifying material wall 320, the front dehumidifying material wall330, the left dehumidifying material walls 340 a and 340 b, and theright dehumidifying material walls 350 a and 350 b, a space foraccommodating the dehumidifying material 430 can be stably partitioned.

In the shoe care device 1, the dehumidifying housing 300 can be disposedsuch that the upper surface thereof is positioned at the bottom of theinner cabinet 40.

In this case, the dehumidifying material cover 46 can be coupled to theupper surface of the dehumidifying housing 300.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the upper surfaceof the dehumidifying housing 300 is positioned at the bottom of theinner cabinet 40, the function of the dehumidifying material 430 can beeffectively executed, and it is easy to check and replace thedehumidifying material 430.

In the shoe care device 1, the housing inlet 311 can be formed on thehousing bottom plate 310, and the housing outlet 331 can be formed onthe front dehumidifying material wall 330.

Since the dehumidifying material 430 and the dehumidifying housing 300are disposed at the uppermost portion of the machine room 50, aconnection of the blowing duct 230 to the dehumidifying housing 300 canfacilitate blowing and minimize interference between members.

Accordingly, the housing inlet 311 can be formed on the lower surface ofone side of the dehumidifying housing 300.

In some case where the air passing through the dehumidifying housing 300is immediately introduced into the inner cabinet 40, it may beimpossible to selectively blow the air to the connection path F10 or theregeneration path F20, so the housing outlet 331 can be formed on theside surface of the dehumidifying housing 300, instead of on the uppersurface thereof.

Accordingly, the housing outlet 331 can be formed on the side surfaceopposite the portion where the housing inlet 311 is formed on the plane.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the housing inlet311 is formed on the housing bottom plate 310 and since the housingoutlet 331 is formed on the front dehumidifying material wall 330, itcan be possible to effectively blow the air and minimize interferencebetween members.

In the shoe care device 1, the dehumidifying housing 300 can furtherinclude an inlet connector 390, formed on one side of the upper surface,to which the outlet 42 is coupled.

In this case, the inlet connector 390 can be a medium member to enablethe outlet 42 to be coupled to one surface thereof and the dischargeduct 525 to be coupled to the opposite surface thereof.

The dehumidifying housing 300 can be made of a synthetic resin materialcapable of injection molding, and the dehumidifying housing 300 can bemade to be combined with the inlet connector 390 when taking intoconsideration that the outlet 42 is also disposed at the bottom of theinner cabinet 40.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the dehumidifyinghousing 300 further includes the inlet connector 390, the upperstructure of the machine room 50 can be simplified, thereby facilitatingassembly and providing an advantage in productivity.

In the shoe care device 1, the heater 710 can include a fixed end 712installed on the housing bottom plate 310 and a free end 711 thatextends along the first direction X from the fixed end 712.

In this case, the fixed end 712 can be electrically connected to a powersource, and the free end 711 can generate heat while electric energy issupplied to the free end 711 through the fixed end 712.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the heater 710includes the fixed end 712 and the free end 711, the heater 710 can beeffectively installed in the dehumidifying housing 300.

In some examples, in order to prevent the dehumidifying housing 300 frombeing thermally deformed or damaged by the heater 710, a separate heatinsulating member can be disposed at a portion where the heater 710 isdisposed.

In addition, in the case where a pair of dehumidifying materials 430 isdisposed on the connection path F10, a pair of left dehumidifyingmaterial walls 340 a and 340 b and a pair of right dehumidifyingmaterial walls 350 a and 350 b can be formed, in which any onedehumidifying material 430 can be accommodated between a first leftdehumidifying material wall 340 a and a first right dehumidifyingmaterial wall 350 a and in which the remaining dehumidifying material430 can be accommodated between a second left dehumidifying materialwall 340 b and a second right dehumidifying material wall 350 b.

In this case, the shoe care device 1 can further include heaters 710that are respectively installed between the first left dehumidifyingmaterial wall 340 a and the first right dehumidifying material wall 350a and between the second left dehumidifying material wall 340 b and thesecond right dehumidifying material wall 350 b to heat the pair ofdehumidifying material 430, respectively.

The shoe care device 1 can be configured to include an inner cabinet 40,an outlet 42, an inlet 43, a connection path F10, a blowing fan 221, adehumidifying material 430, a heater 710, a regeneration path F20, and adamper housing 520.

As described above, the shoe care device 1 can guide the air passingthrough the dehumidifying material 430 to the connection path F10 or theregeneration path F20 in the damper housing 520, so the air can stablyand effectively move through each of the connection path F10 and theregeneration path F20.

The shoe care device 1 can further include a dehumidifying housing 300disposed on the connection path F10 to accommodate the dehumidifyingmaterial 430 and having the heater 710 installed therein, and the damperhousing 520 can be connected between the dehumidifying housing 300 andthe inlet 43.

In particular, the damper housing 520 can be coupled to the front of thedehumidifying housing 300 in the first direction X.

Specifically, the damper housing 520 can be coupled to a housing outlet331 formed in the dehumidifying housing 300 so that air passing throughthe dehumidifying material 430 can be blown to the damper housing 520.In addition, the air can be blown to the connection path F10 or theregeneration path F20 depending on the opening/closing direction of thedamper 510 installed in the damper housing 520.

In this case, since the housing outlet 331 is formed on the side surfaceof the dehumidifying housing 300 as described above, one side surface ofthe damper housing 520 coupled with the housing outlet 331 can beconfigured to be open.

In addition, in the case where the air introduced into the damperhousing 520 flows through the connection path F10, the air may be blowninto the inner cabinet 40 through the discharge duct 525 and the inlet43, so the opposite side of the damper housing 520 can be connected tothe inlet 43 (or the discharge duct 525).

As described above, since the shoe care device 1 further includes thedehumidifying housing 300 in which the dehumidifying material 430 isaccommodated, the dehumidifying material 430 can be stably accommodatedto appropriately implement the function thereof.

In the shoe care device 1, the damper housing 520 can further include adamper entrance 521, formed at the rear in the first direction X, towhich the dehumidifying housing 300 is coupled and a damper exit 522formed at the front in the first direction X to be connected to theinlet 43.

That is, the damper entrance 521 can be connected to the housing outlet331, and the damper exit 522 can be connected to the inlet 43 (or thedischarge duct 525).

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the damper housing520 further includes the damper entrance 521 and the damper exit 522,the air can stably and effectively pass through the space between thedehumidifying housing 300 and the inlet 43.

In the shoe care device 1, the drying path hole 529 can be formed in thelongitudinal cross-section of the damper housing 520 between the damperentrance 521 and the damper exit 522, and the regeneration path hole 527can be formed on the bottom surface of the damper housing 520 betweenthe damper entrance 521 and the damper exit 522.

As described above, since the inlet 43 is disposed at the bottom of theinner cabinet 40, the discharge duct 525 connected to the inlet 43 canbe installed to be open along the longitudinal direction. Accordingly,the damper exit 522 connected to the discharge duct 525 can be formed tobe open on the side or upper surface thereof.

Accordingly, the drying path hole 529 formed between the damper entrance521 and the damper exit 522 can be defined in the longitudinalcross-section of the damper housing 520.

In addition, in the case where the air introduced into the damperhousing 520 flows through the regeneration path F20, the air may beblown to the condenser 800 through the regeneration path hole 527, sothe regeneration path hole 527 can be connected between the damperentrance 521 and the damper exit 522.

In some examples, the path from the regeneration path hole 527 to thesump hole 215, which are disposed on the regeneration path F20, can beinclined such that the height thereof is reduced along the path for theeffective drainage of condensate water, so the regeneration path hole527 can be defined on the bottom surface of the damper housing 520.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the drying pathhole 529 is formed on the longitudinal cross-section of the damperhousing 520 and since the regeneration path hole 527 is formed on thebottom surface of the damper housing 520, condensate water can beeffectively discharged through the regeneration path.

In some examples, the damper housing 520 can be made of a syntheticresin material capable of injection molding, and in some cases, thedamper housing 520 can be manufactured to be combined with at least oneof the discharge duct 525 and the regeneration path hole 527.

In the shoe care device 1, the damper 510 can rotate about the hingeshaft 512 to selectively open and close the longitudinal cross-sectionand the bottom surface of the damper housing 520.

As described above, one side surface of the damper housing 520 can beopened and coupled with the housing outlet 331 of the dehumidifyinghousing 300, and the opposite side surface or top surface can be openedand coupled with the discharge duct 525, and the regeneration path hole527 can be connected to the bottom surface thereof.

Accordingly, the damper 510 for selectively opening and closing thedischarge duct 525 and the regeneration path hole 527 can be disposedbetween the opposite side and the bottom surface of the damper housing520.

Accordingly, in the case where the damper 510 is installed to behinge-rotatable around one end thereof, the degree of opening thedischarge duct 525 can be adjusted according to the standing angle withrespect to the bottom surface of the damper housing 520.

That is, in the case where the damper 510 hinge-rotates to be parallelto the bottom surface of the damper housing 520, the discharge duct 525can be maximally opened so that air can be smoothly blown through theconnection path F10.

In this case, in the case where the damper 510 covers the bottom surfaceof the damper housing 520, the discharge duct 525 can be maximallyopened, and at the same time, the regeneration path hole 527 formed onthe bottom surface of the damper housing 520 can be closed.

In some examples, when the damper 510 hinge-rotates to be perpendicularto the bottom surface of the damper housing 520, the discharge duct 525can be closed.

In this case, since the damper 510 does not cover the bottom surface ofthe damper housing 520, the regeneration path hole 527 can be opened sothat air can be blown along the regeneration path F20.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the damper 510rotates around the hinge shaft 512 to selectively open and close theconnection path F10 and the regeneration path F20, the connection pathF10 and the regeneration path F20 can be easily opened and closed whilefurther simplifying the structure of the damper 510.

In some examples, in the case where a pair of dehumidifying materials430 is disposed on the connection path F10, the damper housing 520 canfurther include a damper separation wall 523 for separating the airpassing through the respective dehumidifying materials 430, and thedrying path hole 529 and the regeneration path hole 527 can berespectively formed on both sides of the damper separation wall 523.

The shoe care device 1 can be configured to include an inner cabinet 40,an outlet 42, an inlet 43, a connection path F10, a blowing fan 221, adehumidifying material 430, a heater 710, a regeneration path F20, adamper housing 520, and a damper 510.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the damper 510installed in the damper housing 520 selectively opens and closes theconnection path F10 and the regeneration path F20, selective opening andclosing of the connection path F10 and the regeneration path F20 can bestably and effectively performed.

In the shoe care device 1, the damper 510 can include an opening/closingplate 511 that is hinge-rotatable about a hinge shaft 512 formed on oneside, a shaft 513 coupled to the hinge shaft 512 of the opening/closingplate 511 to transmit rotational force, and an actuator 515 coupled tothe shaft 513 to provide rotational force.

Specifically, the damper 510 can include an opening/closing plate 511 inthe shape of a plate protruding in one direction from the hinge shaft512. The opening/closing plate 511 can be configured to correspond tothe shape of the drying path hole 529 formed in the damper housing 520,and when the damper 510 hinge-rotates, the opening/closing plate 511 cancover the drying path hole 529.

A shaft 513 can be coupled to the hinge shaft 512 of the damper 510.Specifically, a fastening hole can be formed in a portion of the hingeshaft 512, and a fastening portion 513 b of the shaft 513 can be engagedwith the fastening hole.

Accordingly, when the shaft 513 rotates, the fastening portion 513 b canpress the fastening hole so that the hinge shaft 512 of the damper 510can rotate. The shaft 513 can be coupled to an actuator 515 to transferthe rotational force supplied from the actuator 515 to the hinge shaft512 of the damper 510.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the damper 510includes the opening/closing plate 511, the shaft 513, and the actuator515, the damper 510 can be precisely and effectively controlled throughan electrical signal.

In the shoe care device 1, the open area of the regeneration path hole527 can be configured to be smaller than the open area of the dryingpath hole 529, and the opening/closing plate 511 can be configured tohave a planar shape correspond to the open area of the drying path hole529.

As described above, since the regeneration path hole 527 can be smallerthan the drying path hole 529, the opening/closing plate 511, which isconfigured to correspond to the shape of the drying path hole 529, canhinge-rotate, thereby covering the regeneration path hole 527.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the opening/closingplate 511 is configured to correspond to the open area of the dryingpath hole 529, it can be possible to respectively close the connectionpath F10 and the regeneration path F20 using one opening/closing plate511.

In particular, as described above, in the case where the drying pathhole 529 is formed on the longitudinal cross-section of the damperhousing 520 and where the regeneration path hole 527 is formed on thebottom surface of the damper housing 520, the opening/closing plate 511can rotate about the hinge shaft 512 so that one side thereof can coverthe drying path hole 529 and so that the opposite side thereof can coverthe regeneration path hole 527.

In the shoe care device 1, the damper 510 can further include a firstsealing member 517 made of an elastic material, which is continuouslyinstalled along the edge of one surface of the opening/closing plate511, and a second sealing member 519 made of an elastic material, whichis installed to correspond to the open area of the drying path hole 529on the opposite surface of the opening/closing plate 511.

That is, the first sealing member 517 can be formed along the edge ofthe opening/closing plate 511, and the first sealing member 517 can bemade of an elastic material, thereby improving sealing force when theopening/closing plate 511 covers the drying path hole 529.

In some examples, as described above, since the regeneration path hole527 is formed smaller than the drying path hole 529, the entire area ofthe opening/closing plate 511 in a plate-like structure may not evenlyseal the regeneration path hole 527.

Accordingly, the second sealing member 519 can be formed in a portion ofthe opening/closing plate 511, which corresponds to the position of theregeneration path hole 527. The second sealing member 519 can also bemade of an elastic material to improve sealing force when theopening/closing plate 511 covers the regeneration path hole 527.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the damper 510further includes the first sealing member 517 and the second sealingmember 519, it can be possible to further improve sealing force whenclosing the connection path F10 and the regeneration path F20.

In the shoe care device 1, at least one of the first sealing member 517and the second sealing member 519 can be formed with the opening/closingplate 511 by insert molding.

Insert molding is a method of inserting two or more different materialstogether into a mold for injection. The opening/closing plate 511 can bemade of an injection-molded synthetic resin material, and at least oneof the first sealing member 517 and the second sealing member 519 can bemade of an elastic material such as rubber, fiber, or the like.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the damper 510 ismade by insert molding, the damper 510 can be easily and effectivelymanufactured.

In the shoe care device 1, the shaft 513 can include an actuatorcoupling portion 513 a formed at one end thereof in the axial directionand coupled to the actuator 515, a fastening portion 513 b formed at theopposite end thereof in the axial direction and coupled to the hingeshaft 512 of the opening/closing plate 511 so as to transfer rotationalforce thereto, and a deformable portion 513 c connected between theactuator coupling portion 513 a and the fastening portion 513 b so asnot to transfer rotational force to the hinge shaft 512 of theopening/closing plate 511.

In some examples, only the fastening portion 513 b of the shaft 513 canbe fastened to engage with the fastening hole of the damper 510, so thatonly the fastening portion 513 b can be constrained by the rotation ofthe damper 510, and the remaining portions may not be constrained by therotation of the hinge shaft 512.

That is, the deformable portion 513 c of the shaft 513 can be coupled tothe hinge shaft 512 so as not to engage therewith, which enables idlerotation in a certain portion even when the hinge shaft 512 rotates.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the shaft 513includes the actuator coupling portion 513 a, the fastening portion 513b, and the deformable portion 513 c, the rotational force of theactuator 515 can be efficiently transferred to the opening/closing plate511.

The deformable portion 513 c can be made of a material capable ofelastic deformation against torsion.

Specifically, the shaft 513 can be made of a material that iselastically deformable to a certain extent, such as a synthetic resinmaterial. Accordingly, even in the state in which the opening/closingplate 511 of the damper 510 can no longer rotate inside the damperhousing 520, the deformable portion 513 c of the shaft 513 can betwisted and deformed to a certain extent.

According to this, the rotational force supplied from the actuator 515can be further applied to the shaft 513 even when the rotation of theopening/closing plate 511 is stopped, so that the deformable portion 513c can be twisted to further pressurize the opening/closing plate 511.

Therefore, even if the rotational force supplied from the actuator 515is shut off in the state in which the opening/closing plate 511 of thedamper 510 covers the drying path hole 529 or the regeneration path hole527, the opening/closing plate 511 can remain in close contact with thedrying path hole 529 or the regeneration path hole 527 by the pressurecaused by the torsion of the deformable portion 513 c.

If a gap is formed between the opening/closing plate 511 and the dryingpath hole 529 or the regeneration path hole 527 due to reaction or thelike when the supply of the rotational force from the actuator 515 isshut off, air can flow in unintended directions through the gap.

In particular, in order to block moisture or odor generated during theregeneration process of the dehumidifying material 430 from flowing intothe inner cabinet 40, sealing force can be increased through thestructure of the damper 510 and the shaft 513 described above.

As described above, in the shoe care device 1, since the deformableportion 513 c made of an elastic material is twistable and deformable,it can be possible to maintain the contact force with the drying pathhole 529 or the regeneration path hole 527 to a certain extent even inthe state in which the operation of the actuator 515 is stopped.

As shown in FIG. 38, the drying apparatus 1100 can be configured toinclude a cabinet 1001 having a first chamber 1121 (a drying chamber)and a second chamber 1122 (a device chamber) (see FIG. 39) that areseparated by a partition 1012.

The first chamber 1121 can be configured to communicate with the outsideof the cabinet 1001 through an opening 1011 (a first chamber opening)provided on the front surface of the cabinet 1001, and the secondchamber 1122 can be configured to communicate with the outside of thecabinet through a second chamber opening formed on the front surface ofthe cabinet.

The second chamber opening can be configured to be opened and closed bya chamber door 123 detachably coupled to the cabinet 1001, and theopening 1011 can be configured to be opened and closed by a door 1111rotatably coupled to the cabinet 1001.

The first chamber 1121 can be equipped with a support 1124 on which adrying object (clothes, etc.) is mounted, and FIG. 38 shows an examplein which the support 1124 is configured as a bar on which a hanger issupported. The support 1124 can be provided on any one of an uppersurface, both side surfaces, and a rear surface of the first chamber1121, and FIG. 38 shows an example in which the support 1124 is providedon the upper surface of the first chamber 1121.

The partition 1012 can be provided to configure a bottom surface of thefirst chamber (an upper surface of the second chamber), and thepartition 1012 can have a discharge hole 1013 and a supply hole 1014provided therein. The discharge hole 1013 can be a means for dischargingair from the first chamber 1121 to the second chamber 1122, and thesupply hole 1014 can be a means for supplying air to the first chamber1121.

As shown in FIG. 39, a dehumidifying unit 1002, 1004, 1005, and 1006 forremoving moisture from the air discharged from the first chamber 1121 isprovided in the second chamber 1122.

The dehumidifying unit can be configured to include ducts 1002 thatconfigure paths connected to the first chamber 1121, a firstdehumidifier 1004 and a second dehumidifier 1005 for removing moisturefrom the air moving along the ducts 1002, and a communicating pipe 1006connecting the discharge paths of the dehumidifiers 1004 and 1005.

The ducts 1002 can be configured to include a first duct 1021 connectedto the discharge hole 1013 to guide the air inside the first chamber1121 to the second chamber 1122, and a second duct 1022 connected to thesupply hole 1014 to supply air to the first chamber. A fan 1023 can beprovided in any one of the first duct 1021 and the second duct 1022, andFIG. 39 illustrates an example in which the fan 1023 is provided in thefirst duct 1021.

The first dehumidifier 1004 can be configured to include a first housing1041 positioned inside the second chamber 1122, a first dehumidifyingmaterial 1042 provided inside the first housing 1041 to absorb moisturecontained in air, and a first heater 1411 provided inside the firsthousing 1041 to remove moisture absorbed by the first dehumidifyingmaterial 1042.

The first housing 1041 can have any shape as long as it is able toaccommodate the first heater 1411 and the first dehumidifying material1042, and FIG. 40 shows an example in which the first housing 1041 isconfigured in a hollow cylindrical shape and in which the first heater1411 is provided as a heating wire in a coil shape. Unlike the drawings,the first heater 1411 can be configured as a ring-shaped heating wire.

The first dehumidifying material 1042 can be formed of a microporousmaterial capable of adsorbing and removing moisture from the air, suchas desiccant or zeolite. Moisture and odor particles contained in theair can be absorbed into the space formed between the materialsconstituting the first dehumidifying material 1042, and the moisture andthe like absorbed into the first dehumidifying material can be releasedfrom the first dehumidifying material when heat is supplied from theoutside.

As shown in the drawings, the first dehumidifying material 1042 can beprovided inside the first housing 1041 to be positioned both in theinner space of the first heater 1411 (the space corresponding to thecenter of the ring-shaped or coil-shaped first heater) and in the outerspace thereof (the outer space of the ring-shaped or coil-shaped firstheater). That is, the diameter of the first heater 1411 can beconfigured to be smaller than the diameter of the first housing 1041.The configuration in which the first dehumidifying material 1042 ispositioned both in the inner space and in the outer space of the firstheater 1411 is intended to quickly transfer the heat emitted from thefirst heater 1411 to the first dehumidifying material 1042.

As shown in FIG. 39, the first housing 1041 can be connected to thefirst duct 1021 through first supply path 1043 and valve 1431, and canbe connected to the second duct 1022 through first discharge path 1044and valve 1441. That is, the first dehumidifier 1004 can have a firstsupply path 1043 for connecting the first duct 1021 to the first housing1041, and a first discharge path 1044 for connecting the first housing1041 to the second duct 1022.

A first supply valve 1431 can be provided in the first supply path 1043,and a first discharge valve 1441 can be provided in the first dischargepath 1044. The first supply valve 1431 can be configured to open orclose the first supply path 1043 according to a control signal of acontroller, and the first discharge valve 1441 can be configured to openor close the first discharge path 1044 according to a control signal ofthe controller.

The second dehumidifier 1005 can be configured to include a secondhousing 1051 positioned inside the second chamber 1122, a seconddehumidifying material 1052 provided inside the second housing 1051 toabsorb moisture contained in the air, and a second heater 1511 providedinside the second housing 1051 to remove moisture absorbed into thesecond dehumidifying material 1052.

The second housing 1051 can be configured in a hollow cylindrical shape,and the second heater 1511 can be configured as a ring-shaped orcoil-shaped heating wire. Like the first dehumidifying material 1042,the second dehumidifying material 1052 can be formed of a microporousmaterial (desiccant, zeolite, etc.) capable of adsorbing and removingmoisture from the air.

As shown in FIG. 40, the second dehumidifying material 1052 can beconfigured to be positioned both in the inner space of the second heater1511 (the space corresponding to the center of the ring-shaped orcoil-shaped second heater) and in the outer space thereof (the outerspace of the ring-shaped or coil-shaped second heater). The diameter ofthe second heater 1511 can be configured to be smaller than the diameterof the second housing 1051.

The configuration in which the second dehumidifying material 1052 ispositioned both in the inner space and in the outer space of the secondheater 1511 is intended to quickly transfer the heat emitted from thesecond heater 1511 to the second dehumidifying material 1052.

As shown in FIG. 39, the second housing 1051 can be connected to thefirst duct 1021 through second supply path 1053 and valve 1531, and canbe connected to the second duct 1022 through second discharge path 1054and valve 1541. That is, the second dehumidifier 1005 can have a secondsupply path 1053 for connecting the first duct 1021 to the secondhousing 1051, and a second discharge path 1054 for connecting the secondhousing 1051 to the second duct 1022, and a second supply valve 1531 canbe provided in the second supply path 1053, and a second discharge valve1541 can be provided in the second discharge path 1054. The secondsupply valve 1531 can be configured to open and close the second supplypath 1053 according to a control signal of the controller, and thesecond discharge valve 1541 can be configured to open and close thesecond discharge path 1054 according to a control signal of thecontroller.

The first discharge path 1044 and the second discharge path 1054 can beconnected to each other through a communicating pipe 1006, and thecommunicating pipe 1006 can further include a connection valve 1061. Theconnection valve 1061 can be configured to control the opening andclosing of the communicating pipe 1006 according to a control signal ofthe controller.

To make it easier for the heat emitted from the first heater 1411 to betransferred to the first dehumidifying material 1042, the firstdehumidifier 1004 can further include a first dehumidifyingmaterial-first mesh 1421 and a first dehumidifying material-second mesh1422. As shown in FIG. 41, the first dehumidifying material-first mesh1421 can be configured as a mesh in a cylindrical or spherical shape toprovide a space in which the first dehumidifying material 1042 isstored, and the first dehumidifying material-second mesh 1422 can beconfigured as a mesh to provide a space in which the first dehumidifyingmaterial 1042 is stored. In this case, the first dehumidifyingmaterial-first mesh 1421 can be located in the inner space of the firstheater 1411, and the first dehumidifying material-second mesh 1422 canbe located in the outer space of the first heater 1411.

Similarly, the second dehumidifier 1005 can further include a seconddehumidifying material-first mesh 1521 and a second dehumidifyingmaterial-second mesh 1522. The second dehumidifying material-first mesh1521 can be configured as a mesh to provide a space in which the seconddehumidifying material 1052 is stored, and can be positioned in theinner space of the second heater 1511 (the inner space formed by thesecond heater), and the second dehumidifying material-second mesh 1522can be configured as a mesh to provide a space in which the seconddehumidifying material 1052 is stored, and can be positioned in theouter space of the second heater 1511 (the space formed between thesecond heater and the second housing).

In the case where the first dehumidifying material 1042 and the seconddehumidifying material 1052 are stored in the meshes 1421, 1422, 1521,and 1522 and are respectively provided in the inner spaces and the outerspaces of the respective heaters, air can easily move to the spacesformed between the meshes, thereby providing the effect of facilitatingheat exchange between the heat emitted from the heaters 1411 and 1511and the dehumidifying materials stored inside the respective meshes(shortening regeneration time and minimizing energy for regeneration).

In order to prevent moisture released from the dehumidifying materialsfrom being discharged to the outside of the drying apparatus 1100 orbeing supplied to the first chamber 1121 when the dehumidifyingmaterials 1042 and 1052 are regenerated, the second chamber 1122 canfurther have a condensing unit 1007 and a condensate water storage unit1008.

As shown in FIG. 39, the condensing unit 1007 can be configured toinclude a radiation body 1071 provided in the second chamber 1122 and acondensing path 1072 provided in the radiation body to configure amovement path of air.

The radiation body 1071 can be made of a metal material having highthermal conductivity, and the condensing path 1072 can be configured asa metal pipe forming a zigzag path along the surface of the radiationbody 1071. The first housing 1041 can be connected to the condensingpath 1072 through a first connection pipe 1073, and the second housing1051 can be connected to the condensing path 1072 through a secondconnection pipe 1074.

In this case, the first connection pipe 1073 can be configured toconnect a drain 1045 (a first drain) of the first housing and thecondensing path 1072, and the second connection pipe 1074 can beconfigured to connect a drain 1055 (a second drain) of the secondhousing and the condensing path 1072.

The first connection pipe 1073 can be provided with a first connectionvalve 1731 for opening and closing the first connection pipe 1073according to a control signal of the controller, and the secondconnection pipe 1074 can be provided with a second connection valve 1741for opening and closing the second connection pipe 1074 according to acontrol signal of the controller.

The condensate water storage unit 1008 can be connected to thecondensing path 1072 through a drainage path 1075, and the condensatewater storage unit 1008 can be configured as a storage tank that isdetachable from the second chamber 1122.

FIG. 42 shows a first mode in which both the first dehumidifier 1004 andthe second dehumidifier 1005 perform a dehumidification cycle (a cyclefor absorbing moisture from air).

In the first mode, the controller can control the first supply valve1431, the second supply valve 1531, the first discharge valve 1441, andthe second discharge valve 1541 such that the first supply path 1043,the first discharge path 1044, the second supply path 1053, and thesecond discharge path 1054 are opened. In the first mode, the controllercan close the communicating pipe 1006, the first connection pipe 1073,and the second connection pipe 1074 through the connection valve 1061,the first connection valve 1731, and the second connection valve 1741,and may not operate the first heater 1411 and the second heater 1511.

If the fan 1023 is operated in the above-described state, the air in thefirst chamber 1121 can flow into the first duct 1021 through thedischarge hole 1013, and then flow to the first housing 1041 and thesecond housing 1051. The air supplied to the first housing 1041 can moveto the first discharge path 1044 by passing through the firstdehumidifying material 1042, and the air supplied to the second housing1051 can move to the second discharge path 1054 by passing through thesecond dehumidifying material 1052.

The air passing through the first dehumidifying material 1042 and thesecond dehumidifying material 1052 can move to the second duct 1022through the first discharge path 1044 and the second discharge path1054, and the air inside the second duct 1022 can be supplied to thefirst chamber 1121 through the supply hole 1014. Accordingly, the dryingapparatus can remove moisture from the drying object received in thefirst chamber 1121 in the first mode.

FIG. 43 shows a second mode in which both the first dehumidifier 1004and the second dehumidifier 1005 perform a regeneration cycle (a cycleof separating moisture absorbed into the dehumidifying material from thedehumidifying material).

In the second mode, the controller can control the first supply valve1431, the first discharge valve 1441, the second supply valve 1531, andthe second discharge valve 1541 such that the first supply path 1043 andthe second supply path 1053 are opened and such that the first dischargevalve 1441 and the second discharge valve 1541 are closed. In addition,in the second mode, the controller can control the connection valve1061, the first connection valve 1731, and the second connection valve1741 such that the communicating pipe 1006 is closed and such that thefirst connection pipe 1073 and the second connection pipe 1074 areopened.

In the second mode described above, the fan 1023, the first heater 1411,and the second heater 1511 can be operated. When electric power issupplied to the first heater 1411 and the second heater 1511 (when thefirst heater and the second heater emit heat), the moisture contained inthe first dehumidifying material 1042 can be discharged to the firsthousing 1041, and the moisture contained in the second dehumidifyingmaterial 1052 can be discharged to the second housing 1051.

As the air inside the first chamber 1121 is supplied to the firsthousing 1041 and the second housing 1051 through the first duct 1021,the first supply path 1043, and the second supply path 1053 when the fan1023 is operated, the moisture stored in the first housing 1041 can moveto the condensing path 1072 through the first connection pipe 1073, andthe moisture stored in the second housing 1051 can move to thecondensing path 1072 through the second connection pipe 1074.

The condensing path 1072 can be fixed to the radiation body 1071, andthe radiation body 1071 can be configured to exchange heat with the airinside the second chamber 1122. Accordingly, the air moving along thecondensing path 1072 can be cooled, and in this process, the moisturecontained in the air can be separated from the air into condensatewater. The condensate water stored in the condensing path 1072 can moveto the condensate water storage unit 1008 through the drainage path1075. Accordingly, the drying apparatus 1100 can prevent the humid airdischarged during regeneration of the dehumidifiers 1004 and 1005 frombeing supplied to the drying object or the indoor space in which thedrying apparatus is installed.

FIG. 44 shows a mode (a third mode) in which one of the firstdehumidifier 1004 and the second dehumidifier 1005 performs adehumidification cycle and the remaining one performs a regenerationcycle.

In the third mode, the controller can operate the second heater 1511 inthe state in which the first supply path 1043 and the first dischargepath 1044 are opened and in which the second supply path 1053 and thesecond discharge path 1054 are closed. In some examples, the controllercan control the first connection valve 1731 and the second connectionvalve 1741 such that the first connection pipe 1073 is closed and suchthat the second connection pipe 1074 is opened.

In addition, in the third mode, the controller can control theconnection valve 1061 such that the communicating pipe 1006 is opened.In some examples, the controller can perform control in the third modesuch that the amount of air supplied to the first discharge path 1044 islarger than the amount of air supplied to the communicating pipe 1006.That is, in the third mode, the controller can control the connectionvalve 1061 such that the flow rate through the communicating pipe 1006is smaller than the flow rate through the first discharge path 1044.

The air having moved to the first discharge path 1044 can be supplied tothe first chamber 1121 through the second duct 1022 and the supply hole1014. In some examples, the air having moved to the communicating pipe1006 can flow to the condensing path 1072 through the second dischargepath 1054, the second housing 1051, and the second connection pipe 1074,and in this process, the moisture stored inside the second housing 1051(the moisture discharged from the second dehumidifying material duringthe operation of the second heater) can move to the condensing path1072.

In some implementations, in the third mode, the first heater 1411 can beoperated in the state in which the first supply path 1043 and the firstdischarge path 1044 are closed and in which the second supply path 1053and the second discharge path 1054 are opened. In this case, thecontroller can control the connection valve 1061, the first connectionvalve 1731, and the second connection valve 1741 such that thecommunicating pipe 1006 and the first connection pipe 1073 are openedand such that the second connection pipe 1074 is closed.

FIG. 45 illustrates an example of a drying apparatus 1100, which shows adrying apparatus 1100 equipped with a first housing 1041 and a secondhousing 1051 in one dehumidifier housing H.

That is, the drying apparatus 1100 in FIG. 45 can be configured toinclude a dehumidifier housing H provided in the second chamber 1122 anda housing partition W that separates the inside of the dehumidifierhousing into a first housing 1041 and a second housing 1051.

The first supply path 1043 and the first discharge path 1044 can beconnected to the dehumidifier housing H so as to communicate with thefirst housing 1041, and the second supply path 1053 and the seconddischarge path 1054 can be connected to the dehumidifier housing H so asto communicate with the second housing 1051.

If the first housing 1041 and the second housing 1051 are configured tobe separated by the housing partition W, the heat inside thedehumidifier executing the dehumidification cycle can be transferred tothe dehumidifier executing the regeneration cycle in the third mode,thereby reducing the energy for the regeneration cycle.

FIG. 46 illustrates an example of a drying apparatus 1100 in which thedrying apparatus 1100 is distinguished from the drying apparatuses shownin FIGS. 38 to 45 in that the communicating pipe 1006 connecting thefirst discharge path 1044 and the second discharge path 1054 is notprovided in some examples.

The drying apparatus 1100 excluding the communicating pipe 1006 and theconnection valve 1061 can operate as follows. The drying apparatus 1100in FIG. 46 can control the first connection valve 1731 and the secondconnection valve 1741 such that the first connection pipe 1073 and thesecond connection pipe 1074 are closed, control the first supply valve1431, the second supply valve 1531, the first discharge valve 1441, andthe second discharge valve 1541 such that all of the first supply path1043, the second supply path 1053, the first discharge path 1044, andthe second discharge path 1054 are opened, and then operate the fan1023, thereby performing a first mode (a mode in which bothdehumidifiers execute a dehumidification cycle).

In some examples, the drying apparatus 1100 in FIG. 46 can control thefirst connection valve 1731, the second connection valve 1741, the firstsupply valve 1431, and the second supply valve 1531 such that the firstconnection pipe 1073, the second connection pipe 1074, the first supplypath 1043, and the second supply path 1053 are opened, control the firstdischarge valve 1441 and the second discharge valve 1541 such that thefirst discharge path 1044 and the second discharge path 1054 are closed,and then operate the fan 1023 and the heaters 1411 and 1511, therebyperforming a second mode (a mode in which both dehumidifiers execute aregeneration cycle).

In addition, the drying apparatus 1100 in FIG. 46 can open the firstsupply path 1043, the second supply path 1053, the first discharge path1044, and the second connection pipe 1074, close the second dischargepath and the first connector or valve 1073, and then operate the fan1023 and the second heater 1511, thereby performing a third mode inwhich the first dehumidifier 1004 executes a dehumidification cycle andin which the second dehumidifier 1005 executes a regeneration cycle.

The air passing through the first dehumidifier 1004 (dehumidified air)is supplied to the second dehumidifier in the drying apparatus in FIG.38, whereas the air discharged from the first chamber 1121 is suppliedto the second dehumidifier 1005 in the drying apparatus in FIG. 46. Thisindicates that the drying apparatus in FIG. 38 removes moisture from theair discharged from the first chamber 1121 and then supplies the air tothe second dehumidifier, and that the drying apparatus in FIG. 46directly supplies the air discharged from the first chamber 1121 to thesecond dehumidifier. Therefore, the drying apparatuses in FIGS. 38 to 45is advantageous compared to the drying apparatus in FIG. 46 inconsideration of only the regeneration efficiency of the dehumidifyingmaterial.

FIG. 47 illustrates an example of a drying apparatus. The structure of adehumidifying unit of the drying apparatus 1100 is distinguished fromthe dehumidifying units provided in the drying apparatuses in FIGS. 38to 46.

The drying apparatus in FIG. 47 can be configured to include a cabinet1001 equipped with a first chamber 1121 (a drying chamber) and a secondchamber 1122, a dehumidifying unit 1002 and 1004 provided in the secondchamber 1122, a condensing unit 1007 for removing moisture from the airdischarged from the dehumidifying unit, a condensate water storage unit1008 for storing condensate water discharged from the condensing unit,and a steam supply unit 1009 for supplying steam to the first chamber1121. Since the structure of the cabinet 1001 is the same as that of thecabinet provided in the drying apparatuses in FIGS. 38 to 46, a detaileddescription thereof will be omitted.

The dehumidifying unit can be configured to include a duct 1002 providedin the second chamber 1122 and a dehumidifier 1004 connected to the duct1002. The duct 1002 can be configured to include a first duct 1021connected to the discharge hole 1013 and a second duct 1022 connected tothe supply hole 1014, and the first duct 1021 can have a fan 1023provided therein.

The dehumidifier 1004 can be configured to include a dehumidifierhousing H provided in the second chamber 1122, and a heater 1004 a and adehumidifying material 1004 b provided inside the dehumidifier housing.The dehumidifier housing H can be connected to the first duct 1021through a supply path 1046 and valve 1461 and can be connected to thesecond duct 1022 through a discharge path 1047 and valve 1471.

The supply controller can be configured to include a supply path 1046connected between the first duct 1021 and the dehumidifier housing H,and a supply valve 1461 for controlling the opening and closing of thesupply path, and the discharge controller can be configured to include adischarge path 1047 connected between the dehumidifier housing H and thesecond duct 1022, and a discharge valve 1471 for controlling the openingand closing of the discharge path.

The condensing unit 1007 can be configured to include a radiation body1071 provided in the second chamber 1122 and a condensing path 1072provided in the radiation body to configure a movement path of air.

The radiation body 1071 can be made of a metal material having highthermal conductivity, and the condensing path 1072 can be configured asa metal pipe forming a zigzag path along the surface of the radiationbody 1071. The dehumidifier housing H can be connected to the condensingpath 1072 through a connection pipe 1076. The connection pipe 1076 canbe connected between a drain 1048 of the dehumidifier housing and thecondensing path 1072, and can be configured to be opened and closed by aconnection valve 1761.

The condensate water storage unit 1008 can be configured as a storagetank detachably provided in the second chamber 1122, and can beconnected to the condensing path 1072 through a drainage path 1075.

The steam supply unit 1009 can be configured to include a water storageunit 1091 provided inside the dehumidifier housing H to provide a spacefor storing water, a steam heater 1092 provided inside the water storageunit, and a steam path 1094 for guiding the steam inside the waterstorage unit to the first chamber 1121. The steam path 1094 can beconfigured as a pipe connected between a nozzle 1941 provided on thepartition 1012 and the upper surface of the water storage unit 1091.

The second chamber 1122 can have a water supply tank 1093 storing waterand detachably provided in the second chamber, a water supply path 1931connected between the water supply tank and the water storage unit 1091,and a water supply pump 1932 for supplying water in the water supplytank to the water storage unit 1091 through the water supply path 1931.

In the drying apparatus 1100 in FIG. 47, since the water storage unit1091 is provided inside the dehumidifier housing H, there is an effectof regenerating the dehumidifying material 1004 b with the heat emittedfrom the water storage unit 1091 when the steam heater 1092 is operatedor after the operation of the steam heater is completed. That is, thedrying apparatus in FIG. 47 can close the supply path 1046 and thedischarge path 1047 and open the connection pipe 1076 when the steamheater 1092 is operated, thereby removing the moisture contained in thedehumidifying material 1004 b.

In some implementations, the steam supply unit 1009 in FIG. 47 can beprovided in the drying apparatuses in FIGS. 38 to 45. That is, the waterstorage unit 1091 provided in the steam supply unit can be provided tobe positioned inside any one of the first housing 1041 and the secondhousing 1051 in FIGS. 38 to 45.

FIG. 48 illustrates an example of a drying apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 48, a dehumidifying unit or system 11003, 11004, 11005,11006, and 11007 for removing moisture from the air discharged from thefirst chamber 11121 can be provided in the second chamber 11122.

For example, the dehumidifying unit can include a duct 11005 configuringa path connected to the first chamber 11121, and a first dehumidifier11003, and a second dehumidifier 11004 for removing moisture from theair moving through the duct 11005.

The duct 11005 can be configured to include a first duct 11051 connectedto the discharge hole 11013 to guide the air inside the first chamber11121 to the second chamber 11122 and a second duct 11052 connected tothe supply hole 11014 to supply air to the first chamber. A fan 11053can be provided in any one of the first duct 11051 and the second duct11052, and FIG. 48 shows an example in which the fan 11053 is providedin the first duct 11051.

The first dehumidifier 11003 can be configured to include a firsthousing 11031 positioned inside the second chamber 11122, a firstdehumidifying material 11033 provided inside the first housing 11031 toabsorb moisture contained in the air, and a first heater 11032 providedinside the first housing 11031 to remove the moisture absorbed into thefirst dehumidifying material 11033.

As shown in the drawing, the first dehumidifying material 11033 can beprovided inside the first housing 11031 to be positioned both in theinner space of the first heater 11032 (the space corresponding to thecenter of the ring-shaped or coil-shaped first heater) and in the outerspace thereof (the outer space of the ring-shaped or coil-shaped firstheater). That is, the diameter of the first heater 11032 can beconfigured to be smaller than the diameter of the first housing 11031.The configuration in which the first dehumidifying material 11033 ispositioned both in the inner space and in the outer space of the firstheater 11032 is intended to quickly transfer the heat emitted from thefirst heater 11032 to the first dehumidifying material 11033.

The second dehumidifier 11004 can be configured to include a secondhousing 11041 positioned inside the second chamber 11122, and a seconddehumidifying material 11043 provided inside the second housing 11041 toabsorb moisture contained in the air, and a second heater 11042 that isprovided inside the second housing 11041 and removes moisture absorbedinto the second dehumidifying material 11043.

As shown in FIG. 48, the first housing 11031 and the second housing11041 can be connected to the first duct 11051 through the supply path11006, and can be connected to the second duct 11052 through thedischarge path 11007.

The supply path 11006 can be configured to include a first supply path11061 for supplying air to the first housing 11031 and a second supplypath 11062 for supplying air to the second housing 11041.

The first duct 11051, the first supply path 11061, and the second supplypath 11062 can be connected to each other through a supply chamber11064, and a supply valve 11063 for controlling opening and closing ofthe first supply path 11061 and the second supply path 11062 accordingto a control signal of a controller can be provided inside the supplychamber 11064. For instance, the controller can include one or moreprocessors, an electric circuit, or the like, that can control variousdevices including valves, fans, condensers, sensors, regulators, and thelike.

The supply valve 11063 can be configured to include a first shaft 11632fixed to the supply chamber 11064, a supply valve body 11631 rotatingabout the first shaft 11632, and a first driving unit for moving thesupply valve body 11631 to reciprocate between a first supply point anda second supply point according to a control signal from the controller.The first driving unit can be configured as a motor that rotates thefirst shaft 11632.

The first supply point SP1 can be configured as a point where the degreeof opening of the first supply path 11061 is greater than the degree ofopening of the second supply path 11062, and the second supply point SP2can be configured as a point where the degree of opening of the secondsupply path 11062 is greater than the degree of opening of the firstsupply path 11061.

FIG. 48 illustrates an example of the first supply point SP1 and thesecond supply point SP2. That is, FIG. 48 shows the case in which thepoint where the degree of opening of the first supply path 11061 is 90%or more and where the degree of opening of the second supply path 11062is 10% or less is configured as the first supply point SP1, and in whichthe point where the degree of opening of the first supply path 11061 is10% or less and where the degree of opening of the second supply path11062 is 90% or more is configured as the second supply point SP2.

The discharge path 11007 can be configured to include a first dischargepath 11071 configuring a path of the air discharged from the firsthousing 11031, and a second discharge path 11072 configuring a path ofthe air discharged from the second housing 11041. The second duct 11052,the first discharge path 11071, and the second discharge path 11072 canbe connected through the discharge chamber 11074, and a discharge valve11073 can be configured inside the discharge chamber 11074.

In order to store, in the second chamber 11122, the moisture dischargedfrom the respective dehumidifiers 11003 and 11004 when the firstdehumidifying material 11033 and the second dehumidifying material 11043are regenerated (in order to prevent the moisture discharged from thedehumidifying material from being discharge to the outside of the firstchamber or cabinet), the drying apparatus 11100 can further include acondensing unit 11008 and a storage unit 11009.

The condensing unit 11008 can be configured to include a condenser 11081provided in the second chamber 11122, and a connection path 11083connected between the discharge path 11007 and the condenser 11081, andthe storage unit 11009 can be configured as a storage tank that isdetachably installed to the second chamber 11122. The storage tank canbe configured in any shape as long as it can store water, and can beconfigured to be connected to the condenser 11081 through a drainagepath 11084.

The condenser 11081 can be configured to include a radiation body 11811that is fixed to the second chamber 11122 and exchanges heat with theair inside the second chamber 11122, and a condensing path 11812 that isprovided in the radiation body 11811 and guides the air supplied fromthe connection path 11083 to the drainage path 11084.

The radiation body 11811 can be made of a metal material having highthermal conductivity, and the condensing path 11812 can be configured asa metal pipe forming a zigzag path along the surface of the radiationbody 11811. In this case, the connection path 11083 can be configured toconnect the discharge chamber 11074 and the condensing path 11812.

The discharge chamber 11074 can be configured as a hollow cylindricalbody. In this case, the second duct 11052, the first discharge path11071, the second discharge path 11072, and the connection path 11083can be connected to the discharge chamber 11074 so as to be spaced apartfrom each other at 90 degrees along the circumferential surface thereof.

The discharge valve 11073 can be configured to include a second shaft11732 positioned on the central axis of the discharge chamber 11074, adischarge valve body 11731 rotating about the second shaft 11732, and asecond driving unit for moving the discharge valve body 11731 toreciprocate between a first discharge point DP1 and a second dischargepoint DP2 by rotating the second shaft 11732. The second driving unitcan be configured as a motor for rotating the second shaft 11732.

The first discharge point DP1 can be configured as a point where thefirst discharge path 11071 is connected to the second duct 11052 andwhere the second discharge path 11072 is connected to the connectionpath 11083, and the second discharge point DP2 can be configured as apoint where the first discharge path 11071 is connected to theconnection path 11083 and where the second discharge path 11072 isconnected to the second duct 11052.

The position of the supply valve 11063 and the position of the dischargevalve 11073 can be controlled by a controller. That is, if the supplyvalve 11063 is located at the first supply point SP1, the dischargevalve 11073 can be controlled to be located at the first discharge pointDP1, and if the supply valve 11063 is located at the second supply pointSP2, the discharge valve 11073 can be controlled to be located at thesecond discharge point DP2.

The drying apparatus having the above-described structure can becontrolled to execute a first mode and a second mode. The firstdehumidifier 11003 performs a dehumidification cycle and the seconddehumidifier 11004 performs a regeneration cycle in the first mode, andthe first dehumidifier 11003 performs a regeneration cycle and thesecond dehumidifier 11004 performs a dehumidification cycle in thesecond mode.

Referring to FIG. 48, in the first mode, the controller can position thesupply valve 11063 and the discharge valve 11073 at the first supplypoint SP1 and the first discharge point DP1, respectively, and thenoperate the fan 11053 and the second heater 11042.

When the fan 11053 rotates in the state in which the supply valve 11063is located at the first supply point SP1, the air inside the firstchamber 11121 can flow into the first duct 11051. A portion (90% ormore) of the air inside the first duct 11051 can be supplied to thefirst dehumidifier 11003, and the remaining (10% or less) of the air canbe supplied to the second dehumidifier 11004.

The air supplied to the first dehumidifier 11003 can be dehumidifiedwhile passing through the first dehumidifying material 11033, and thedehumidified air can move to the first chamber 11121 through the firstdischarge path 11071 and the second duct 11052. When the above-describedprocess is performed, the drying object located inside the first chamber11121 can be dried.

In some examples, the moisture absorbed into the second dehumidifyingmaterial 11043 can be discharged to the outside of the seconddehumidifying material 11043 when the second heater 11042 is operated,and the moisture released from the second dehumidifying material 11043can move to the condensing path 11812 by passing through the seconddischarge path 11072 and the connection path 11083 due to the airsupplied to the second dehumidifier 11004. The moisture discharged fromthe second dehumidifying material 11043 can be condensed while passingthrough the condensing path 11812, and condensate water inside thecondensing path 11812 can flow to the storage unit 11009 through thedrainage path 11084.

In the second mode, the controller can position the supply valve 11063and the discharge valve 11073 at the second supply point SP2 and thesecond discharge point DP2, respectively, and then operate the fan 11053and the first heater 11032.

If the fan 11053 rotates in the state in which the supply valve 11063 islocated at the second supply point SP2, some (90% or more) of the airintroduced into the first duct 11051 can be supplied to the seconddehumidifier 11004, and the remainder (10% or less) of the air can besupplied to the first dehumidifier 11003.

The air supplied to the second dehumidifier 11004 can be dehumidifiedwhile passing through the second dehumidifying material 11043, and thedehumidified air can move to the first chamber 11121 through the seconddischarge path 11072 and the second duct 11052. When the above-describedprocess is performed, the drying object located inside the first chamber11121 can be dried.

In some examples, the moisture absorbed into the first dehumidifyingmaterial 11033 can be discharged to the outside of the firstdehumidifying material 11033 when the first heater 11032 is operated,and the moisture released from the first dehumidifying material 11033can move to the condensing path 11812 through the first discharge path11071 and the connection path 11083 due to the air supplied to the firstdehumidifier 11003. The moisture discharged from the first dehumidifyingmaterial 11033 can be condensed while passing through the condensingpath 11812, and condensate water inside the condensing path 11812 canflow to the storage unit 11009 through the drainage path 11084.

FIG. 49 illustrates an example of a drying apparatus 11100. In thedrying apparatus 11100, both the first housing 11041 and the secondhousing 11051 are provided in one dehumidifier housing H. That is, thedrying apparatus 11100 in FIG. 49 can be configured to include adehumidifier housing H provided in the second chamber 11122 and ahousing partition W for separating the inside of the dehumidifierhousing into the first housing 11041 and the second housing 11051.

The first supply path 11061 and the first discharge path 11071 can beconnected to the dehumidifier housing H so as to communicate with thefirst housing 11031, and the second supply path 11062 and the seconddischarge path 11072 can be connected to the dehumidifier housing H tocommunicate with the second housing 11041.

If the first housing 11041 and the second housing 11051 are provided tobe separated by the housing partition W, the heat inside thedehumidifier executing a dehumidification cycle can be transferred tothe dehumidifier executing a regeneration cycle, thereby reducing theenergy for the regeneration cycle.

In the foregoing, although specific implementations of the presentdisclosure have been described and illustrated, the present disclosureis not limited to the described implementations, and it will beunderstood by those of ordinary skill in the art that there can bevarious changes and modifications into other specific implementationswithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure should be defined bythe technical idea described in the claims, instead of by the describedimplementations.

What is claimed is:
 1. A shoe care device comprising: an inner cabinetthat has: an accommodation space configured to accommodate shoestherein, an inlet defined at a first portion of the accommodation spaceand configured to supply air to the accommodation space, and an outletdefined at a second portion of the accommodation space and configured tosuction air from the accommodation space; an air supply deviceconfigured to blow air to the accommodated space along a plurality ofpaths, the air supply device comprising a plurality of dehumidifyingmaterials that are separate from one another and disposed in theplurality of paths, the air supply device being configured to heat theplurality of dehumidifying materials; and a controller configured tocontrol the air supply device, wherein the plurality of paths of the airsupply device comprise: a connection path configured to circulate airbetween the inlet and the outlet, and a regeneration path branched fromthe connection path and configured to guide air having passed through atleast one of the plurality of dehumidifying materials to a portion ofthe air supply device other than the inlet, and wherein the controlleris configured to control the air supply device to selectively open andclose at least one of the connection path or the regeneration path basedon whether or not at least one of the plurality of dehumidifyingmaterials is heated.
 2. The shoe care device according to claim 1,further comprising a steam generator configured to supply steam to theaccommodation space.
 3. The shoe care device according to claim 1,wherein the controller is configured to, based on any one of theplurality of dehumidifying materials being heated, control the airsupply device in a first operation mode by: closing a first portion ofthe connection path corresponding to a heated dehumidifying materialamong the plurality of dehumidifying materials to thereby open a firstportion of the regeneration path corresponding to the heateddehumidifying material, and opening a second portion of the connectionpath corresponding to an unheated dehumidifying material among theplurality of dehumidifying materials to thereby close a second portionof the regeneration path corresponding to the unheated dehumidifyingmaterial.
 4. The shoe care device according to claim 3, wherein thecontroller is configured to, in the first operation mode, control theair supply device to alternately heat the plurality of dehumidifyingmaterials one after another.
 5. The shoe care device according to claim3, wherein the controller is configured to, in the first operation mode,control the air supply device to supply a first amount of air to theheated dehumidifying material and a second amount of air to the unheateddehumidifying material, the first amount of air being less than thesecond amount of air.
 6. The shoe care device according to claim 3,wherein the controller is configured to, based on none of the pluralityof dehumidifying materials being heated, control the air supply devicein a second operation mode by opening the connection path to therebyclose the regeneration path.
 7. The shoe care device according to claim6, wherein the controller is configured to, based on all of theplurality of dehumidifying materials being heated, control the airsupply device in a third operation mode by closing the connection pathto thereby open the regeneration path.
 8. The shoe care device accordingto claim 7, further comprising a control panel configured to receive anoperation signal from a user, wherein the controller is configured to,based on the operation signal being received through the control panel,control the air supply device to perform the third operation mode for apredetermined time.
 9. The shoe care device according to claim 7,further comprising a sensor configured to measure an amount of moistureadsorbed in the plurality of dehumidifying materials, wherein thecontroller is configured to control the air supply device to perform thethird operation mode until the amount of moisture measured by the sensorbecomes less than or equal to a predetermined value.
 10. The shoe caredevice according to claim 1, wherein the air supply device comprises: aplurality of chambers that are spaced apart from one another andconnected to branches of the connection path, respectively, each of theplurality of chambers accommodating one of the plurality ofdehumidifying materials; and a plurality of heaters, each of theplurality of heaters being disposed at one of the plurality of chambersand configured to heat one of the plurality of dehumidifying materialsin the one of the plurality of chambers, wherein each chamber of theplurality of chambers defines: a drying path hole configured todischarge air having passed through the dehumidifying material in thechamber toward the inlet, and a regeneration path hole that is separatefrom the drying path hole and configured to discharge air having passedthrough the dehumidifying material in the chamber in a direction otherthan toward the inlet, wherein the air supply device further comprises aplurality of dampers that are disposed in the plurality of chambers,respectively, and configured to selectively open and close the dryingpath hole and the regeneration path hole of each the plurality ofchambers, and wherein the controller is configured to control theplurality of dampers to selectively open and close the drying path holeand the regeneration path hole of each the plurality of chambers basedon operation of at least one of the plurality of heaters.
 11. The shoecare device according to claim 10, wherein the air supply device furthercomprises a condenser connected to the regeneration path holes andconfigured to condense moisture from air discharged through theregeneration path holes.
 12. The shoe care device according to claim 10,wherein the controller is configured to, based on one of the pluralityof heaters operating, (i) control one of the plurality of dampers toclose the drying path hole corresponding to an operating heater amongthe plurality of heaters to thereby open the regeneration path holecorresponding to the operating heater, and (ii) control another of theplurality of dampers to open the drying path hole corresponding to aremaining heater that is not the operating heater among the plurality ofheaters to thereby close the regeneration path hole corresponding to theremaining heater.
 13. The shoe care device according to claim 12,wherein the controller is configured to alternately operate theplurality of heaters one after another.
 14. The shoe care deviceaccording to claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to controlthe plurality of dampers to supply a first amount of air to one of theplurality of chambers corresponding to the operating heater and a secondamount of air to another of the plurality of chambers corresponding tothe remaining heater, the first amount of air being less than the secondamount of air.
 15. The shoe care device according to claim 10, whereinan open area of the regeneration path hole is less than an open area ofthe drying path hole.
 16. The shoe care device according to claim 10,wherein the controller is configured to, based on none of the pluralityof heaters operating, control the plurality of dampers to open thedrying path holes to thereby close the regeneration path through theregeneration path holes.
 17. The shoe care device according to claim 10,wherein the controller is configured to, based on all of the pluralityof heaters operating, control the plurality of dampers to close thedrying path holes to thereby open the regeneration path through theregeneration path holes.
 18. The shoe care device according to claim 17,further comprising a control panel configured to receive an operationsignal from a user, wherein the controller is configured to, based onthe operation signal being received through the control panel, operateall of the plurality of heaters for a predetermined time.
 19. The shoecare device according to claim 17, further comprising a sensorconfigured to measure an amount of moisture adsorbed in the plurality ofdehumidifying materials, wherein the controller is configured to operateall of the plurality of heaters until the amount of moisture measured bythe sensor becomes less than or equal to a predetermined value.
 20. Theshoe care device according to claim 11, wherein the air supply devicefurther comprises: a blowing fan connected to the outlet and configuredto blow air toward each of the plurality of chambers; and a drain tankconnected to the condenser and configured to receive water generatedfrom the condenser.